What Should the Twins Do About Their Bullpen?

[DocBauer]

Another well written and thoughtful article Nick. But with all due respect to your intent, I think we should be talking about how to build the bullpen in an overall context, not simply aspirations to reach the playoffs this year. In reality, today and next year really overlap.

IF the Twins can finish the season around .500 while introducing some young position players to go along with the young arms we've already had at least glimpses of, I'll consider this a solid season, regardless of sneaking in to the playoffs.

I think the Twins, if they play their cards right, can sell AND buy a little at the deadline. For instance, does a competing team out there have need for Jeffers, Larnach, and Bell? I'd say definitely, probably, and probably. But they aren't going to trade an important, high leverage arm to acquire them. And a non contending team is going to want prospects...that I'm generally loathing in trading away...and not veterans they aren't going to have use for, and won't be around.

But perhaps a contending team has a young, controllable #5 or #6 man that's similar to Varland before he had his big breakout, who is getting his feet wet, and has potential, but isn't one of their most important pen pieces. Further, what if one of those teams has a AAA arm...possibly a AA arm ready for promotion...that has either just begun a transition to the pen, or seems destined to do so. In other words, can Larnach bring back another team's Morris? THAT is how we can sell....and create room for top prospects that are ready...and also do some buying as well.

INTERNALLY, the cupboard is pretty bare right now due to injury and arms already promoted. There's only a couple of arms left at AAA that might help still, and are as good or better than what's already on the roster.  So I see this as more about how to build the bullpen with a long lens, and not just this season. Where those 2 issues overlap, so much the better.

GOMEZ and MORRIS: While some regression is probably due, I think we've seen enough of Gomez so far to believe he's not just "some guy" on a hot streak. He's young, controllable, and has solid stuff. And Morris is the same, and seems to keep improving.

BANDA: While he's gone for a while now, he should be back before the season is done. He's untradable, a solid LH that still has control that won't require some huge salary bump, and SHOULD be brought back next season.

ROJAS: I know the idea was for him to be an eventual SP. And maybe that still happens in the future,  maybe not. But Santana and Liriano did it, so maybe he can too. But he has POWERFUL 8th and 9th inning stuff written all over him in the future, possibly before the season is over. For now, he could have great value in the middle innings.

SANDS: We saw in 2024 how good he CAN be. We saw glimpses in 2025 at times, and even early parts of this season. I don't think we have a handle on who he truly is, but we've seen flashes. He at least helps as a solid middle arm in the pen.

FESTA: With a little luck...which the Twins are in short supply these days...he'll be healthy enough to pitch in August, September at the latest. That would help in his initial transformation to being a reliever. But if we have to wait until 2027, so be it. He's been dynamite his 1st turn through a lineup, and pretty good the 2nd time even. But injuries and troubles a 3rd time through an order just makes him destined for the pen. Some guys are just built for fewer IP more often rather than being a starter.

CJ CULPEPPER: I'm a believer. He's been very effective when healthy. He seems to be taking to his new pen role well. I believe he needs most or all of July to hone and adapt, but he's got the STUFF to be another good pen transition story. Late July or August 1st for his debut? 

Pause for a moment and add those guys up. While there are injury factors there, and inexperience, the STUFF and POTENTIAL of those 7 could have a pretty decent bullpen by August, or certainly to begin 2027. A bullpen that is experienced and ready to help a team to the playoffs? That's very debatable. But it's a bullpen better than TODAY, with about as much STUFF and potential as the pen they had the last couple of years before blowing it up.

RAYA: I was pleasantly surprised the Twins didn't use him and then send him down right away after his 40+ pitch debut. From EVERYTHING we've always read and heard about him, he's got some pretty serious STUFF in his arsenal, but consistency/command has always been an issue. (Not to mention LENGTH as a SP). But he really turned a corner in May. Unless he just absolutely imploded, I'm for giving him all the rope he needs to see if he can start to reach his potential. They also have the luxury of sending him back down for a reset if needed, and bring him back up later. There's only a couple of arms sitting at AAA that come close to matching his potential. 

KLEIN: He's been pretty disappointing this season, but he's still got solid offerings and good K numbers. The HR ball has definitely messed with him this season. And perhaps I'm imagining it, but it seems like his first couple of IP are usually productive, and THEN he allows a big hit. But what might he accomplish oy throwing 1-2 IP?

I think there's some nice potential in both Raya and Klein. Raya appears more ready.

PAREDES: Look, he's nothing special. Despite a nice and versatile career in the Twins' MILB system, he's kind of a throwback, control, pitch to contact pitcher. His career in the Twins bullpen might be short lived. But for NOW, if Ober can come back as the 5th SP for the Twins and continue his earlier season trend of ALSO being an effective, throwback, smart, experienced, pitch to contact arm, Paredes could be a solid 2-3 IP every 2-3 days are to help fill out the pen as the 8th man. At least he's healthy and can be part of the "now" bullpen.

EVERYONE ELSE: IF Funderburk could get his control down FINALLY, he can be a decent option. Adams and Laweryson just don't have enough pute stuff to have a bright future. But if they can avoid BB...especially to leadoff hitters...and keep the ball in the park, they can at least help fill the middle innings. I've seen enough from the Jeckyl/Hyde Orze to think he's got room to improve and be a potential 6th/7th man in future bullpens. But I can also see him squeezed out by 2027 as well. But all of these guys provide some depth options at least. And Rogers, also Jeckyl/Hyde, is probably done after this season. Not even sure he has minimum trade value.

But when you look at all the above, without adding any FA, you can see the makings of an end of season, going in to 2027, bullpen, that would be VASTLY different than the pen we started with this season. It would also be fairly young, inexpensive, and offer some real upside potential.

And potential trades of Jeffers, Larnach, and Bell, might offer up a a decent arm or two as I detailed previously. So there could be another pre-breakout Varland or Morris or two that we might acquire.

When I see Roden, Jenkins, Gonzalez and Mendez healthy and performing well at St Paul...Rodriguez won't be ready until some time in August...I don't believe moving Jeffers, Larnach, and Bell is ownership or the FO throwing in the towel for 2026. It would be a "re-tool" in mid stride to promote talented TOP prospects internally to actually/potentially help the team, while building for 2027.

*NOTE: I'm only leaving K-Pepper out of the conversation because his promotion isn't affected by these trades.

IMO, I don't believe Ryan will be traded unless they get a "blown away" offer. THAT would be a WHITE FLAG that ownership and the FO have simply given up on the season. An already thin rotation would become DESIMATED. And I don't think they want to go down that path.

I'd ONLY trade prospects if the return was a quality pen arm with potential and years of control. My current belief is to utilize the young arms on hand. I understand fully that some of the potential arms I've listed aren't quite ready YET, and a couple are on the IL. But I don't want to move prospects just yet when I've felt all along that this season was going to be a transition year. 

We've already seen improvement and debuts from several young arms. It's time to lean in to them, but also debut the young, talented prospects as well. 

 

 

 

[Andy MacPhail]

Twins has been a shipwreck. It has been very frustrating with no anchor. They're still bad but they're are showing some promise with Gomez, Morris & Pareda; I'd like Rojas, Pareda & Morris in long relief spot start. With  hope that Raya can step up & Fiesta & Sands return from the IL & be effective. We still desperately need an anchor, JD mentioned Paddock, he could be great in short relief role.

[Nick Nelson]

1 hour ago, Casey Anderson said:

Is there any type of timeline on Garrett Acton? Not saying he was amazing in his 5 appearances earlier this year, but he showed some upside before he got hurt.  

According to the Twins' injury update page, he's thrown four bullpen sessions and was on track to start facing live hitters this week. So theoretically could be ready shortly after the break.

[Mai.K]

What has everyone forgotten about Canterino? What's he up to these days?

Yeah, I know. It's been four years since Canterino last pitched in an official game.

After re-signing with the team on a two-year deal last year, he has just about three months left on that contract, yet I haven't heard a single rumor about him throwing again.

When he was healthy, he was clearly an elite pitcher. If he can make it back, I think he could finally make his MLB debut and maybe even become a significant contributor to the team.

[tony&rodney]

45 minutes ago, The Great Hambino said:

For those advocating that they trade this season for bullpen help, I have a few questions:

1. Who's the highest-quality prospect you're willing to give up for a bullpen piece?

2. What does that quality of a prospect tend to get you historically in trade?

3. Is that level of reliever going to meaningfully change their chances at a playoff run?

4. If you don't like the answer to #3, does that change your view on whether they should be buyers?

I don't know the answers to these myself, but I feel like I'm not willing to go far enough on #1 to make a difference on #3.  Maybe the equation changes if you're getting a nonrental, but then you're committing to an even higher prospect cost.

The goal is to find a trading partner. We merely speculate because it is an unknown whether another team finds a Twins player a fit for their roster. Who gets traded and who gets acquired is the negotiation. We all know that.

Thus: Yankees send Carlos Lagrange in return for Ryan Jeffers? Padres send Jason Adam and Bradgley Rodriguez for Bailey Ober and Trevor Larnach? Does some team view Matt Wallner as a good DH? A couple 2-3 relief pitchers and the development of some prospects could make a difference. This might be where we remember that three young guys made a difference in 2023.

There are options and it does not entail trading the top prospects. Buxton has a NTC and 10/5 rights; he stays. There doesn't need to be many moves and it can be buying and selling. The big question surrounds the value of Joe Ryan to another team. 

[ashbury]

That's quite a pile.   Do we really expect to find 8 ponies in it?

[DJL44]

26 minutes ago, Mai.K said:

What has everyone forgotten about Canterino? What's he up to these days?

Yeah, I know. It's been four years since Canterino last pitched in an official game.

After re-signing with the team on a two-year deal last year, he has just about three months left on that contract, yet I haven't heard a single rumor about him throwing again.

When he was healthy, he was clearly an elite pitcher. If he can make it back, I think he could finally make his MLB debut and maybe even become a significant contributor to the team.

He hasn’t thrown since his shoulder surgery 16 months ago. If he pitches at all, even in the minors, it will be a miracle.

[twinfan]

The bullpen is a mixed bag that can be good at times and lousy at other times. Gomez, Morris and Adams can be good. Orze needs work. Rogers is best when he can come in with 2 outs and 2 lefties due up. Then he doesn't have to pitch the next inning. Funderburk has been terrible for 2 seasons now. Sands needs to get healthy. The problem is we don't have a true stopper and we gave up 2 last year. There may be someone out there who can be had for the remainder of the season or we can maybe trade for someone who was there but has dropped off this year (think Hoffman or even Doval) and could bounce back. Rojas could be the man next year and Festa was supposed to be a starter (I thought). If we can keep Ryan, we have 4 top quality starters for next year and Matthews after that. If we can get something for Bell while he is hot, that would be nice (the Yanks needs big time help on offense- trade Bell for Doval).