David Festa Working His Way Back From Injury With Encouraging Signs

[Cody Christie]

Spring training is supposed to be about ramping up, refining mechanics, and building momentum toward Opening Day. For David Festa, it has instead become another exercise in patience.

Festa felt discomfort in the back of his right shoulder during a bullpen session on February 24, a moment that immediately raised concern given the neurological thoracic outlet syndrome that cut short his 2025 campaign. This time, however, the news carried a different tone. An MRI revealed that the issue is unrelated to last fall’s diagnosis. Instead, Festa is dealing with a rotator cuff impingement, a far more familiar and, importantly, manageable obstacle.

According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, Festa remains several weeks away from leaving Florida as he continues his recovery process. That timeline is not insignificant, especially for a Twins club already navigating early-season pitching uncertainty, but the right-hander’s outlook provides reason for encouragement.

“Honestly, it feels better than I probably expected,” Festa said. “I never want to make too much of it because it’s light catch from a shorter distance, but I feel like the arm’s moving cleaner.”

At the moment, Festa is playing catch at 90 feet, a modest but meaningful step in the progression. The long-term plan remains fluid. Festa intends to build up like a starting pitcher, which aligns with how the organization has developed him to this point. There have been no formal discussions about a defined role, but the reality is difficult to ignore. The Minnesota Twins are already dealing with the loss of Pablo López for the season, and pitching depth will be tested early.

That creates an interesting tension. On one hand, Minnesota would prefer to preserve as much starting depth as possible. Festa, once viewed as arguably the organization’s top pitching prospect, fits into that equation when healthy. On the other hand, shoulder issues have a way of reshaping development paths. If the Twins need immediate innings and Festa proves healthy but not fully stretched out, a move to the bullpen could be a practical solution.

It is not as though Festa lacks the tools to succeed in that role. Over the last two seasons, he has posted a 5.12 ERA with a 4.27 FIP, backed by a strong 25.7 K% and a manageable 8.3 BB%. Those numbers suggest a pitcher whose underlying skills are more intriguing than the surface results. Shorter outings could allow his stuff to play up while limiting exposure and workload.

Still, the organization will not rush that decision. Health comes first, and Festa will need to demonstrate that he can handle a consistent throwing program before anything else is considered. For now, the focus remains simple. Keep progressing. Keep building. Keep listening to the arm.

If Festa continues on his current trajectory, he could still factor into Minnesota’s plans at some point this season. Whether that comes as a starter or in a relief role will depend on timing, health, and organizational need. What matters most is that the early signs suggest this setback is just that, a setback, not a turning point.

In a season where pitching depth is already under strain, the Twins will take every bit of good news they can get. Festa’s recovery may not solve everything, but it is a step in the right direction at a time when those steps are especially important.

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[DocBauer]

I really like Festa a lot. And while it would be great for him to add a little more weight/muscle and develop in to a quality starter, I still think his future is as a high velocity K bullpen arm as a setup man, and potential closer.

But with Lopez out for the season, and major questions about Ober right now, maybe he needs to stay as a starter for now. HOWEVER, Festa is a couple weeks from throwing from the mound. And then a few weeks of doing that and building himself up pitches wise. So if Matthews, Morris, Klein, Prielipp, and Rojas any/all get off to strong starts over the next month plus, it might affect how Festa gets used ultimately. 

[Doctor Wu]

Thanks for the update. Encouraging news. Whether Festa stays as a starter, or becomes a bullpen piece, I hope we can count on seeing him sometime this season. 

[LambchoP]

I'd like to see Festa in the pen. We need some quality RH arms out there. If they are worried about SP depth they should sign Giolito. I'm sure this late in the spring he would agree to sign with us for pretty cheap. It would also signal to the fans that ownership does actually want to compete this year.