More Questions Than Answers in the Twins Bullpen

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With only weeks remaining until pitchers and catchers report to Fort Myers, the Minnesota Twins bullpen remains very much a work in progress. There are arms on hand, ideas on the table, and a front office that knows this group will not look the same on Opening Day as it does right now. What that final version becomes is still open for debate.

General manager Jeremy Zoll has been clear that the bullpen is the central focus as camp approaches, even if the path to improvement is not limited to one obvious move.

Building a Bullpen
“For sure, I think it’s the most obvious area of need coming into the offseason,” Zoll said. That acknowledgement sets the tone for everything else. The Twins know the bullpen needs help, and they know it cannot be solved by a single signing alone.

Zoll pointed to Taylor Rogers as “a step in that direction,” but emphasized that help can arrive from multiple angles. “Help in that regard is going to come in all shapes and sizes,” he said, whether that means “more major league signings,” or working through “the NRI process and waiver claims and DFA trades.”

That creative approach has been a calling card for the organization before. Zoll noted that the Twins have “shown the ability to build bullpens well in the past in creative ways and different ways.” It is a reminder that the most effective relief groups are not always the most expensive ones. Configuration, opportunity, and internal development often matter just as much as name recognition.

Still a Goal to Add a Right-Handed Reliever
While creativity is important, there is still a very clear type of arm the Twins would like to add. A reliable right-handed reliever remains high on the list.

“I think that feels like the most obvious opportunity for us to find ways to raise the floor and improve the club,” Zoll said. That phrasing matters. This is not just about chasing upside but about stability. After the bullpen turnover of last summer, Minnesota could use more certainty in the middle and late innings.

Zoll also hinted that timing may work in the Twins' favor. “The trade market is starting to open up more as some of the dominoes are falling across the rest of the league,” he said. Whether that addition comes via free agency or trade remains unclear, but the next couple of weeks could provide more clarity as other teams finalize their plans.

Starters Tabbed for Relief Conversion
One of the more interesting questions is whether any starters could eventually slide into bullpen roles. It is a topic the Twins have revisited successfully in the past.

“Definitely, internal conversations continue on that,” Zoll said. What he was careful to emphasize is that nothing has been decided yet. The Twins have not told anyone that a move to relief is coming, and they are waiting to see how things unfold.

Several factors complicate that decision. Minnesota likes its starting depth, and with it being a World Baseball Classic year, there will be multiple starters heading to that tournament. Zoll acknowledged that “there’ll be a number of innings available,” and the club wants to avoid limiting itself too early if injuries pop up during camp. Some names to keep an eye on are Connor Prielipp and Marco Raya who Derek Falvey mentioned by name earlier this winter. 

Still, the track record is there. Zoll referenced previous success stories like Griffin Jax and Louis Varland, noting that it remains an internal topic as the Twins continue to evaluate how best to deploy their arms.

Who Is the Team’s Closer?
Perhaps the most unsettled question of all is who finishes games when the season begins. At the moment, there is no clear answer.

“I think it’s a topic,” Zoll said, while also pointing out that building bullpens continues to evolve. “I think there's a lot of different ways that you can get to having a successful ‘pen, and also want to give make sure we're giving various guys opportunities to take that step forward.” Rather than locking into a single name, the Twins want to see which pitchers take a step forward.

Zoll mentioned Cole Sands and Justin Topa as pitchers who handled late-inning opportunities last season and remain very much in the mix. “Think they can really contribute,” he said, reinforcing the idea that the closer role could evolve naturally once the roster takes its final shape.

For now, Zoll is not interested in rushing to label roles before the group is fully built. It will be “an ongoing discussion,” and one that likely carries into camp itself.

As spring training approaches, the Twins bullpen sits in a familiar place. There are questions, possibilities, and a front office confident that answers will come, even if they arrive later than fans might prefer.

Is this bullpen missing one final move, or will internal growth have to carry the group early in the season? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

 

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[DJL44]

"I think it's a topic" means they don't have anyone.

[Blyleven2011]

Yes the bullpen needs to be addressed but im not concerned as much about reshaping the bullpen with our surplus of pitching , whether it's a starter converted to a reliever im all for it ...

My main concern is the rosters lineup  , the lineup has to do better ,  alot of players need to have better seasons at producing  , the twins lineup lacks discipline  , failing to score from second or third with no out is a catastrophe  , they lack the mental toughness to come through in the clutch .. 

[DJL44]

JoJo Romero is the most likely reliever to get traded before the season begins. They're going to need guys with huge strikeout rates to be successful. They will have one of the worst defenses in baseball.

[D.C Twins]

Buckle up.... the bullpen is going to be an unmitigated S-Show.... 

[USAFChief]

"As spring training approaches, the Twins bullpen sits in a familiar place."

uh...wut?

Unless you mean "just past the visitor's bullpen in Target Field's left center" I'm not sure what the **** you're talking about.

[High heat]

This team could get high output performances from multiple hitters and Starters AND still be a 70 win team with the current bullpen and how many W they turn into Ls.  
 

I can see this team by seasons end having the worst record in the league.

 

I think this is a big reason why Falvey left.  There are no options left to make this bullpen serviceable.  

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Usually, going into a season, a bullpen consists of four or five guys that you assume will be solid pitchers for the team.  Then, a team adds three or four who are a combination of a young guy, a waiver claim, a reclaimed veteran to make it work.  We’ll have young guys, waiver claims, and a reclaimed veteran.  Where are the four or five guys who will be solid pitchers for the team?  Right now, their two best relievers re Sands and Topa, arguably reasonable choices for spots four or five, but not for numbers one and two.  This could be rough. 

[tony&rodney]

13 minutes ago, High heat said:

I think this is a big reason why Falvey left.  There are no options left to make this bullpen serviceable.  

You do remember that it was Falvey who traded the relief pitchers last July, right?

[DJL44]

3 minutes ago, High heat said:

There are no options left to make this bullpen serviceable.  

I think there are actually plenty of options, but they have to convert some starting pitchers. Ober, Festa, Prielipp, Raya, Abel and Morris are all possibilities.

[Fatbat]

We need two guys to take the late inning closer role and thrive at it. Same thing with the 6th/7th inning stopper role. Anyone on the roster can be mop up bulk guy. We need to find the specialists. Should have that figured out by 5/1

[High heat]

1 hour ago, tony&rodney said:

You do remember that it was Falvey who traded the relief pitchers last July, right?

Correct, New Pohlad comes in and has different expectations now (probably unreasonable) and regrets the deals made.  
 

For 2026 this team can’t be competitive with this Bullpen.  Working in 4 or 5 converted starters might work out by July.  We might only have 30 wins by then and the season is a complete disaster. 

[hlsballer318]

Mick Abel gonna be a demon closer

[tony&rodney]

24 minutes ago, High heat said:

Correct, New Pohlad comes in and has different expectations now (probably unreasonable) and regrets the deals made.  
 

For 2026 this team can’t be competitive with this Bullpen.  Working in 4 or 5 converted starters might work out by July.  We might only have 30 wins by then and the season is a complete disaster. 

The future is too difficult to predict. Many things can and do happen. As Twins fans we can only hope for the best. The decisions are out of our hands. 

 

[Jim H]

This story is about as optimistic take on the bullpen as it possible to take. If you believe a competitive team is possible this year, a reliable bullpen is necessary. While it is likely that building a bullpen the way it was laid out in this story will eventually lead to a good bullpen, it will take much longer than spring training to even lay the framework. 

If it is true that Zell doesn't even know which young starters are being converted to one inning relievers, I think that getting them ready for the start of the season in that role will be pretty tough. Last year's bullpen was pretty good until the best 5 relievers were traded away. Given the amount of time it took to get to the bullpen to that point, hoping for a decent bullpen this year seems pretty optimistic. If Zell can do that, I will be impressed.

[Peter Gravett]

3 hours ago, hlsballer318 said:

Mick Abel gonna be a demon closer

Agreed on Abel. Potential there for Bradley and the Slim Reaper too. Going to make for a fun Spring Training. 

[DJL44]

Potential trade options

Riley O'Brien - Cardinals

Jimmy Herget - Rockies

Edwin Uceta - Rays

[mark sills]

I would like to see a article on each of the young pitchers, and what would make them be the best closer.

Festa great first time through line up so looks like he would lead way

Mathews I think could add the most velocity. Go to just a couple of pitches and I think would do great.

Simeon seems to tire out around the fifth inning. Kinda think more of a setup man

Marco maybe one inning around the sixth inning 

Andrew always pitches out the stretch and seems to thrive with runners on base., butt still think he might better at starting and not be a reliever.

Abel not sure of biggest strengths as in haven't watched enough.

[mikelink45]

I just can't get on the band wagon.  If it was so simple - take a minor league starter and make him a reliever - then every team would do it.  Good luck Twins - I hope your magic formula works.  At least we have the numbers 3,4/5 RP set.

[ashbury]

5 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

I just can't get on the band wagon.  If it was so simple - take a minor league starter and make him a reliever - then every team would do it.  Good luck Twins - I hope your magic formula works.  At least we have the numbers 3,4/5 RP set.

Yeah.  You can find relievers that way.  Problem is the opportunity cost and the time it takes (measured in seasons) to sift through the candidates.  By the time you have identified a few, some of them are approaching free agency and you need to deal them away or lose them.  In effect you're doing the rich clubs' dirty work - they skim off the cream of the crop and you repeat the process.

Life as a bottom feeder team isn't glamorous.

[Wizard11]

Actually Mike every team does do that….In fact that is where most relievers come from. With few exceptions Teams generally don’t try to draft relievers.

 

[OregonTwinsFan]

I think Simeon Woods-Richardson to Colorado for Viktor Vodnik and Juan Mejia would be a good trade.