Twins Trim Depth As Ryan Kreidler and Eric Wagaman Head To Triple-A

[LA Vikes Fan]

The decisions are in - Arcia, Altavilla, Banuelos, and Trent Baker all sent to minor league camp. Bowman granted his outright release. That means Lawyerson and Kent made the team in the bullpen. If I'm following this, your 2026 opening day roster is almost done unless we make a trade or pick up someone else's waived player for a backup SS or BP pitcher-

C - Jeffers, Caratini (Jackson still on roster, assume he will be traded or DFA'd)

IF - Bell, Keaschall, Lee, Lewis, Clemens, Tristan Gray

OF - Buxton, Wallner, Martin, Outman, Larnach

Rotation - Ryan, Bradley, Ober, Abel, SWR

Bullpen - Rogers, Topa, Orze, Funderburk, Banda, Sands, Kent, Lawyerson

There you have it unless there is a waiver pickup or trade made before Thursday. 

[Cris E]

Gray over Arcia feels like a surprise. Kreidler has looked better with the glove and Arcia with the bat, so I haven't been loving Gray that much. We'll see, it's just the defensive sub spot.

[Vanimal46]

That bullpen is horrifying. As far as the lineup, there's not much speed and there's not much defensive ability to be found. 

[mike8791]

Did anyone see Rogers performance today: 2/3 IP, 2H, 2BB, 4ER.,0K.? Nice warmup for your new Twins closer!  And you thought the Joe/Derek combo was bad!!

[stringer bell]

55 minutes ago, mike8791 said:

Did anyone see Rogers performance today: 2/3 IP, 2H, 2BB, 4ER.,0K.? Nice warmup for your new Twins closer!  And you thought the Joe/Derek combo was bad!!

Shelton was being interviewed as Rogers went through his inning and publicly pooh-poohed any concern. "He just wasn't hitting his spots". There isn't going to be a reliever I will be confident in facing major league hitters. Maybe someone will emerge or they convert starters to a bullpen role.

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, Cris E said:

Gray over Arcia feels like a surprise. Kreidler has looked better with the glove and Arcia with the bat, so I haven't been loving Gray that much. We'll see, it's just the defensive sub spot.

I'm surprised as well. Arcia must believe he'll get a call sooner rather than later since he didn't use his opt-out. 

[stringer bell]

1 hour ago, LA Vikes Fan said:

The decisions are in - Arcia, Altavilla, Banuelos, and Trent Baker all sent to minor league camp. Bowman granted his outright release. That means Lawyerson and Kent made the team in the bullpen. If I'm following this, your 2026 opening day roster is almost done unless we make a trade or pick up someone else's waived player for a backup SS or BP pitcher-

C - Jeffers, Caratini (Jackson still on roster, assume he will be traded or DFA'd)

IF - Bell, Keaschall, Lee, Lewis, Clemens, Tristan Gray

OF - Buxton, Wallner, Martin, Outman, Larnach

Rotation - Ryan, Bradley, Ober, Abel, SWR

Bullpen - Rogers, Topa, Orze, Funderburk, Banda, Sands, Kent, Lawyerson

There you have it unless there is a waiver pickup or trade made before Thursday. 

Kent and Laweryson have made the team barring acquiring a player from outside the organization. With only one non-roster player making the team (Laweryson) the only player they will expose is Jackson, who is making more than the minimum and can't be sent down. I see Houston has the same situation with Cesar Salazar, who will have to be DFA'd or traded since he didn't make the Astros and is out of options. I don't know how many other catchers will be made available, but maybe the Twins can send Jackson to St. Paul as an outright.

 

[Danchat]

Looks like Chief was wrong about Arcia... I'm surprised Gray made it as the utility infielder. 

As for the bullpen... well, I guess it's nice they gave Laweryson a fair shake after they seemingly gave up on him this winter. May as well try one of the younger options. I just wish we had more upside coming in the minors for relieving talent, Raya seems like the only arm to have made the jump from starting to relieving. Has Klein? Once Festa starts ramping up, I would move him to the pen. It's his likely destiny regardless of team need.

[DJL44]

I hope Jackson makes it through waivers. It will be useful to have him when they trade Jeffers.

[nicksaviking]

55 minutes ago, Danchat said:

Looks like Chief was wrong about Arcia... I'm surprised Gray made it as the utility infielder. 

As for the bullpen... well, I guess it's nice they gave Laweryson a fair shake after they seemingly gave up on him this winter. May as well try one of the younger options. I just wish we had more upside coming in the minors for relieving talent, Raya seems like the only arm to have made the jump from starting to relieving. Has Klein? Once Festa starts ramping up, I would move him to the pen. It's his likely destiny regardless of team need.

Yeah, the current bullpen ceiling is atrocious. However, Bradley and Matthews should probably only get one more chance at starting at the major league level. Between those two, Raya, Festa, Klein, Adams possibly/eventually Preilipp and Morris, I'm pretty encouraged that the potential is high for a good bullpen once they test out and turn over the pen to these internal options. Eventually.

[LewFordLives]

4 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

That bullpen is horrifying. As far as the lineup, there's not much speed and there's not much defensive ability to be found. 

Apart from Funderburk, all those guys have low ceilings. A best case scenario is that the pen is "ok". 

[jaimedude]

4 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

That bullpen is horrifying. As far as the lineup, there's not much speed and there's not much defensive ability to be found. 

Agreed, need to free up some outfield spots by moving on from Larnach and Outman. Would like to see them move on from a logjam of cement shoe guys. 

[LA Vikes Fan]

17 hours ago, stringer bell said:

Kent and Laweryson have made the team barring acquiring a player from outside the organization. With only one non-roster player making the team (Laweryson) the only player they will expose is Jackson, who is making more than the minimum and can't be sent down. I see Houston has the same situation with Cesar Salazar, who will have to be DFA'd or traded since he didn't make the Astros and is out of options. I don't know how many other catchers will be made available, but maybe the Twins can send Jackson to St. Paul as an outright.

 

I was thinking the same thing - it looks like there are a lot of catchers who should or have hit the waiver this week. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll wind up as the 3rd C in AAA. We will need him at some point this year if he does.  

[Danchat]

14 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

Yeah, the current bullpen ceiling is atrocious. However, Bradley and Matthews should probably only get one more chance at starting at the major league level. Between those two, Raya, Festa, Klein, Adams possibly/eventually Preilipp and Morris, I'm pretty encouraged that the potential is high for a good bullpen once they test out and turn over the pen to these internal options. Eventually.

I agree with keeping Bradley and Matthews as starters for now. Zebby has shown flashes and hasn't had any issues with missing tons of time with injuries and can get deep into games, it might be worthwhile keeping him as a starter for the long haul. The others you mentioned are probably all relievers long-term.

[nicksaviking]

57 minutes ago, Danchat said:

I agree with keeping Bradley and Matthews as starters for now. Zebby has shown flashes and hasn't had any issues with missing tons of time with injuries and can get deep into games, it might be worthwhile keeping him as a starter for the long haul. The others you mentioned are probably all relievers long-term.

I really want Matthews to work out because he appears to have the stuff to be a good starter, but so far it's been ugly. Of all the pitchers, he most reminds me of Trevor May. I'd still flip Festa, Bradley and Klein before Matthews, but doing this for another year or two is most likely just going to result in wasted late inning potential.

So if I saw them starting to make the switch with the other guys and not Matthews (Festa still isn't committed to the pen??? Come ON) Matthews still starting would be fine. This is all just starting to rub me the wrong way because the team just saw last year how good and desirable their bullpen can be when they build it with these kinds of pitchers. It makes me think that they were actually blind to how they got into that position and don't comprehend the simple math as to the best way to get back there.

And it's not like the gulf in production for starters and relievers is as drastic as it was 20 years ago when starters threw complete games and 200 innings pitched was the norm. Give me 70 (often high leverage) innings from a good reliever over 140 (usually low leverage) innings from a below average starter. Based on how much even sketchy relievers are now getting paid, it sure seems like the rest of the league is understanding this.

[lecroy24fan]

5 hours ago, LA Vikes Fan said:

I was thinking the same thing - it looks like there are a lot of catchers who should or have hit the waiver this week. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll wind up as the 3rd C in AAA. We will need him at some point this year if he does.  

Indeed the Twins did get lucky today.