Should the Twins Pursue These Newly DFA'd Right-Handed Bats?

[Matthew Taylor]

Image courtesy of IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Twins entered last week's trade deadline with three obvious needs. They needed relief help, more starting pitching depth, and another right-handed bat to balance out a lineup that has struggled badly against left-handed pitching.

General Manager Jeremy Zoll addressed the first two needs. The Twins added bullpen reinforcements in Tommy Nance, A.J. Minter and Jeff Hoffman while also acquiring Dean Kremer from the Baltimore Orioles to provide another quality starter for the rotation.

The one need that went unaddressed was adding another right-handed hitter.

There were rumors late in deadline day that Minnesota had interest in Angels shortstop Zach Neto, but that didn't come to fruition. That leaves the Twins with the same lineup that currently ranks 26th in baseball with a .676 OPS against left-handed pitching, an area that has been one of their biggest weaknesses all season.

With the trade deadline now behind them, the waiver wire becomes the only avenue for Minnesota to make additions before the stretch run. Interestingly, three veteran right-handed hitters hit waivers the day after the deadline when Jorge Soler was designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels, while the Seattle Mariners DFA'd both Mitch Garver and Rob Refsnyder.

Of those three names, Soler is the most intriguing.

Twins fans know Soler well from his four-and-a-half seasons with the Kansas City Royals. Since leaving Kansas City, the veteran slugger has bounced around the league, most recently landing with the Angels after they acquired him following the 2024 season.

At his best, Soler has been one of baseball's premier power hitters. He owns a career 110 OPS+, has multiple seasons with at least 35 home runs, won World Series MVP with the Atlanta Braves in 2021, earned an All-Star selection in 2023, and followed that up with another strong season in 2024 when he posted a 120 OPS+.

The problem has been staying healthy.

A back injury limited Soler to just 82 games in 2025. Hip and oblique injuries have continued to plague him throughout 2026, and the production has suffered as a result. Through 86 games, Soler owns a .664 OPS with 12 home runs while striking out at a career-high 32.7 percent clip.

One of Soler's biggest strengths throughout his career has been demolishing left-handed pitching. He owns a career .841 OPS against southpaws, which is exactly the type of production Minnesota has lacked. Unfortunately, that advantage has disappeared over the last two seasons. Soler managed just a .685 OPS against lefties in 2025 and owns a .626 mark this year, although those numbers have come in relatively small samples of 51 and 95 plate appearances.

Even with the disappointing production, there are still reasons to believe there may be something left in the tank.

Soler still ranks in the 86th percentile in bat speed and continues to barrel baseballs at an 11 percent clip, placing him among the better hitters in baseball in that category. He continues to control the strike zone well with above-average walk rates and below-average chase rates, despite his high strikeout rate. The underlying tools are still there if he can finally get healthy and receive consistent playing time.

That makes Soler an interesting gamble.

Minnesota desperately needs right-handed power, especially after Byron Buxton landed on the injured list. Soler would fit naturally as either a designated hitter or a right fielder against left-handed pitching while allowing Trevor Larnach to sit against tough southpaws.

Soler is in the final season of his three-year, $42 million contract. If he clears waivers, the Twins could sign him for the league minimum while the Angels remain responsible for the rest of his salary.

The Mariners also designated both Mitch Garver and Rob Refsnyder for assignment after acquiring Taylor Ward at the deadline and making room on the roster for both Ward and Jhonny Pereda.

Garver certainly brings plenty of nostalgia. He played the best baseball of his career in Minnesota before being traded away more than five years ago. Unfortunately, he simply hasn't been the same hitter recently. Since the beginning of 2024, Garver owns just a .626 OPS.

Like Soler, Garv Sauce built much of his value by crushing left-handed pitching. He owns a career .820 OPS against lefties, but that production has slipped as well. He managed a .718 OPS against left-handers last season before dropping to just .659 in 64 plate appearances this year.

At 35 years old, and after years of catching, it is fair to wonder how much wear and tear his body has accumulated. Minnesota is also set behind the plate, making Garver's primary position unnecessary. Asking him to fill a designated hitter role simply doesn't seem like the best fit.

Refsnyder presents a much more interesting case.

Twins fans may remember his brief stint in Minnesota during the 2021 season when he posted an 86 OPS+ over 157 plate appearances. Since then, he reinvented himself with the Boston Red Sox, producing back-to-back excellent seasons with 133 and 132 OPS+ marks in 2024 and 2025.

Even more importantly, Refsnyder became one of baseball's better hitters against left-handed pitching. He posted a .941 OPS against southpaws in 2024 before somehow improving to .959 in 2025.

This season has been a completely different story.

Refsnyder owns just a .465 OPS overall and a .506 OPS against left-handed pitching in 129 plate appearances. The underlying metrics are just as concerning. His average exit velocity has fallen from 92 mph last season to just 86.6 mph this year. His strikeout rate has climbed while his walk rate has fallen, and nearly every Statcast percentile sits near the bottom of the league.

There is certainly reason for skepticism, but there is also reason to wonder whether Seattle simply wasn't the right fit. Refsnyder was one of baseball's better platoon bats for two consecutive seasons before arriving with the Mariners, and returning to a more hitter-friendly environment could potentially help him rediscover that version of himself. Like Soler, he can play the corner outfield while filling exactly the type of platoon role the Twins have been missing.

None of these three players are perfect.

Garver looks like a poor positional fit, and his recent production doesn't inspire much confidence. Soler comes with significant injury concerns but still offers intriguing power upside if he can finally get healthy. Refsnyder has been one of the worst hitters in baseball this season, yet his success over the previous two years suggests there may still be something worth betting on.

Considering the Twins' struggles against left-handed pitching and the fact that adding a right-handed bat was the one need left unresolved at the trade deadline, taking a low-cost chance on either Soler or Refsnyder feels like a worthwhile gamble. Neither move would require surrendering prospects or taking on financial risk. If either player rediscovers his previous form, the Twins could suddenly have exactly the platoon bat they've been searching for all season.

What do you think? Should the Twins pursue Jorge Soler or Rob Refsnyder once they clear waivers, or should they stick with the roster they have for the remainder of the season? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!

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[thelanges5]

Gabby Gonzalez is already on the 40 and has a .835 OPS against LHP. He can also play defense. 

[CRF]

Big no on Garver and Refsnyder. Been there, done that. Soler? Definite maybe. 

[tomb77]

Absolutely not. Lefty mashers or not. Much rather the Twins bring up Walker Jenkins than pick up flawed scraps. I think Jenkins can provide a jolt to this team and its fanbase.  

[HarmonK03]

The obsession with a RH bat continues.  Let's get quality players on the roster, not more dumpster diving if we are truly trying to win.

[DJL44]

So cut Bell?

[Over The Hill Again]

Soler, as a (very) poor man’s George Springer: maybe. No way on Garver, nostalgia wouldn’t fix the fact that he’s in serious decline and would only add to flawed roster construction. Refsyder? He had a nice moment or two but I think that ship sailed a while ago. 

[Cory Engelhardt]

Get Buxton healthy and get Royce actually rolling (if possible) as well as get Jenkins up, then this won’t be an issue

[weitz41]

1st lets clear up the 3 catchers thing. Now or never on trying to get Jackson to St Paul. 

I'd pass on Soler and Garver. Refsnyder I'd be interested in. Does he have options? If so, yeah, no doubt. If not, not so certain GG wouldn't be a better choice.

[jkcarew]

“…while also acquiring Dean Kremer from the Baltimore Orioles to provide another quality starter for the rotation.”

 

Come on. Have you no shame?

[arby58]

45 minutes ago, thelanges5 said:

Gabby Gonzalez is already on the 40 and has a .835 OPS against LHP. He can also play defense. 

I was under the impression that Gabby is defensively challenged.

[sweetmusicviola16]

Good grief NO. Haven't we made enough dives into dumpsters?

[jkcarew]

20 minutes ago, arby58 said:

I was under the impression that Gabby is defensively challenged.

He’s very “range challenged”. Canon for an arm, and isn’t going to embarrass himself with the glove, but they’re already starting to play him a bunch at 1B. You’re right, I don’t think they’re particularly wanting to put him in a major league outfield for long stretches.

[jorgenswest]

If they believe in Jackson in spite of his peripherals they need him next year. If they don’t believe in him then let him go. I don’t think this is a try to sneak through waivers. The Twins are going to win or not because of their top 9. If Walker and Culpepper can improve the top 9 they can get them on the roster and keep Jackson. If instead Soler is in the top 9 they can get him on the roster. Soler looks to be a DH so I don’t see the fit. 

[bean5302]

Gabriel Gonzalez does hit lefties pretty well, though adjusting for overall league average production in AAA, he's more like wRC+ 110ish vs. lefties and wRC+ 60 vs. righties.

So once a week he can start a game, hold his own at the plate (still probably not much better than average) and a couple times a week he could maybe get a pinch hit. Otherwise, he's probably a DH and a black hole vs. righties.

[Mike Sixel]

That's a lot of words that I didn't read, to answer no. 

[Otwins]

I would try Refsynder. he would not be the first hitter to struggle hitting in Seattle and benefit from leaving. Teoscar Hernandez was horrible there. Worth a shot.  Austin Martin not providing much.

[HarmonK03]

45 minutes ago, jorgenswest said:

If they believe in Jackson in spite of his peripherals they need him next year. If they don’t believe in him then let him go. I don’t think this is a try to sneak through waivers. The Twins are going to win or not because of their top 9. If Walker and Culpepper can improve the top 9 they can get them on the roster and keep Jackson. If instead Soler is in the top 9 they can get him on the roster. Soler looks to be a DH so I don’t see the fit. 

Jackson is not so important that they have to finesse the roster just to keep him on it.  He is a backup catcher who has done well when asked but there are plenty of journeyman catchers that can be signed in the offseason.  

There is a reason you have 13 position players, you do need a bench to help contribute as well.  I do agree Soler is not a fit.

[DocBauer]

A definite NO to Garver. I think he's about done, and there's no way to fit him on the roster.

Soler's past bat and power would be a great addition. But he hasn't been good for 2 years. (Or healthy). So I just don't know if there's a lot of hope there.

But Refsnyder was still good last year before he went to Seattle. So maybe it's just a bad fit? 

Martin has been on a downward trend for some time now. I'd love to see Gonzalez, but is he ready? 

We sure could use a spark against LHP. I'd at least be tempted to give Refsnyder a look.

[LyleCole]

No on all of them.  They are all just names from the past.

[HarmonK03]

21 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

A definite NO to Garver. I think he's about done, and there's no way to fit him on the roster.

Soler's past bat and power would be a great addition. But he hasn't been good for 2 years. (Or healthy). So I just don't know if there's a lot of hope there.

But Refsnyder was still good last year before he went to Seattle. So maybe it's just a bad fit? 

Martin has been on a downward trend for some time now. I'd love to see Gonzalez, but is he ready? 

We sure could use a spark against LHP. I'd at least be tempted to give Refsnyder a look.

Martin actually had a good month of July when he went to more of a role player again.  He had an OPS of .766 and ave of .250.  Not sure Refsnyder would be a huge upgrade over that.