The Twins Have a Starting Pitching Crisis Brewing for 2028

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins have plenty of questions to answer about their starting rotation heading into the 2027 season. However, looking one year further into the future reveals an even bigger challenge. Minnesota could lose four of its current starting pitchers to free agency after the 2027 campaign, leaving significant holes to fill in the rotation.

Pablo López is under contract through next season. Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, and Dean Kremer will all be arbitration-eligible for the final time in 2027. Unless the Twins extend any of those pitchers or bring them back on new contracts, the organization could be looking at a dramatically different rotation in 2028.

Minnesota has several young pitchers who could step into those openings. However, potential is not the same as proven production, and injuries have already complicated the development of multiple arms in the organization. Let's examine the options who could shape the Twins' starting rotation in 2028 and beyond.

Taj Bradley

Bradley is the easiest name to pencil into Minnesota's future rotation. After arriving from Tampa Bay, he emerged as the Twins' best starting pitcher in 2026 and gave the organization a potential frontline arm to build around. Bradley finished the season with a 3.73 ERA, 113 ERA+, 4.4 rWAR and 205 strikeouts across 178 1/3 innings. He also made 31 starts, providing the kind of workload Minnesota needs from a dependable rotation anchor. His strikeout total ranked fifth among the American League's starters, demonstrating the swing-and-miss ability that made him an intriguing acquisition.

Bradley is entering his first year of arbitration, giving Minnesota three more seasons of team control after 2026. That timeline makes him particularly important as the organization evaluates its long-term pitching plans. The Twins should explore a contract extension this winter. Bradley is young enough to remain a core piece of the rotation for several seasons, and securing him now could provide cost certainty while allowing the club to build around an established starter. Minnesota has other pitching questions to answer, but Bradley should be part of the solution rather than another uncertainty.

Connor Prielipp

Prielipp represents another opportunity for Minnesota to develop a long-term rotation piece. He stayed healthy throughout the 2026 season, an encouraging development for a pitcher whose career has been complicated by injuries. He recorded a 4.87 ERA, 3.73 FIP, with 128 strikeouts over 125 2/3 innings, making 22 starts. Those numbers leave room for improvement, but getting through a season with a substantial workload was an important step in his development.

Prielipp will not reach arbitration until 2029 and is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2032 season. He should still be in his prime when that opportunity arrives, making him a potentially valuable piece of Minnesota's future. The concern is whether he can continue staying healthy. His injury history makes it difficult to assume that one relatively healthy season guarantees long-term durability. If Prielipp can build on his 2026 performance and establish greater consistency, he could become a dependable member of the rotation. The Twins will need to see more before treating him as a sure thing.

Zebby Matthews

Matthews showed flashes of being a dependable starter in 2026, particularly during August, when he looked like one of Minnesota's better rotation options. However, he struggled down the stretch, raising questions about his ability to maintain that performance over a full season. He finished with a 4.90 ERA, 4.70 FIP, and 116 strikeouts across 130 1/3 innings. His 39 walks were a manageable number, but he also surrendered 24 home runs. Limiting damage when hitters make contact will be an important area for improvement.

There is a possibility Matthews could eventually find more success in the bullpen, where his stuff might play up in shorter appearances. Still, Minnesota should continue giving him opportunities to start. The organization needs to determine whether he can consistently work through a lineup multiple times before making a permanent decision about his role.

Matthews is scheduled to reach arbitration in 2028 and free agency in 2031. That gives the Twins time to evaluate his development, but his next couple of seasons will be important in determining whether he becomes a rotation fixture or a potential bullpen option.

Mick Abel

Abel is another young pitcher who could factor into Minnesota's plans, but his recovery from elbow surgery will play a significant role in determining his future. The right-hander underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow on July 1, 2026. Before the procedure, Abel made four appearances, including three starts, and posted a 3.98 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings. That was a small sample, but it offered some encouraging signs about his potential.

Abel is not scheduled to reach arbitration until 2029 and can remain under team control through the 2031 season before reaching free agency in 2032. That timeline gives the Twins several seasons to evaluate him, provided he can return to the mound and stay healthy.

Minnesota will need to see how Abel looks after his recovery before making any long-term assumptions. His ability to regain his previous form, build up his workload, and consistently get through starts will determine whether he can help fill one of the rotation's potential openings.

Kendry Rojas

Rojas had an interesting developmental season in 2026. The young left-hander showed enough promise to remain in the conversation for a future pitching role, but Minnesota used him in a relatively limited capacity. 

He never threw more than four innings or 65 pitches in a single appearance. That workload makes it difficult to determine whether he can handle the demands of a major-league starting rotation. Rojas recorded a 3.34 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 29 2/3 innings in the majors. However, he also issued 22 walks, highlighting an area that needs improvement as he continues to develop.

The Twins should use the 2027 season to determine whether Rojas is a legitimate starting option or whether his future might be better suited to the bullpen. His limited workload could have been part of a deliberate development plan, but the organization eventually needs to see how he performs with a more traditional starter's workload.

Ryan Gallagher

Gallagher is another organizational arm who could work his way into the rotation conversation, although he has more development ahead of him than Minnesota's major-league options. The 23-year-old right-hander pitched across two minor-league levels in 2026, totaling 113 innings. He finished with a 5.89 ERA, allowing 117 hits and recording 120 strikeouts while issuing 53 walks.

Those numbers illustrate both his potential and the work still required. Gallagher showed an ability to miss bats, but his run prevention and command will need to improve if he is going to emerge as a viable major-league starter.

The Twins have time to evaluate his progress, and Gallagher does not need to be ready for a major-league rotation immediately. A stronger 2027 season could help establish whether he belongs in the organization's longer-term plans or is better suited to a depth role.

Riley Quick

Quick is a younger pitching prospect who could become more relevant to the rotation picture as he advances through the minor leagues. The 22-year-old spent time across three minor-league levels in 2026, accumulating 77 2/3 innings. He posted a 4.29 ERA and struck out 108 hitters while allowing 57 hits. His 46 walks, however, show that command remains an important part of his development.

Quick's strikeout ability is an encouraging starting point. Missing bats is an important trait for any prospective major-league starter, but he will need to pair that ability with improved control and greater consistency.

The Twins should continue developing Quick as a starter until his performance suggests otherwise. His 2027 assignments will help determine whether he can handle a larger workload and continue advancing toward the upper levels of the organization. He is not an immediate solution to the potential 2028 rotation openings, but a strong developmental season could put him on the radar.

Adrian Bohorquez

Bohorquez is another prospect worth monitoring as Minnesota looks beyond its current group of major-league starters. The 21-year-old right-hander pitched across three minor-league levels in 2026, recording a 3.29 ERA over 54 2/3 innings. He allowed 39 hits and struck out 65 batters, demonstrating an ability to limit contact while generating strikeouts.

His workload was considerably smaller than those of Gallagher and some of the organization's other starting prospects. That makes it difficult to project him into a major-league rotation just yet, but his results provide a foundation to build on.

Bohorquez will need to demonstrate that he can handle more innings, maintain his effectiveness against more advanced hitters, and develop the consistency required of a starting pitcher. His next steps through the minor leagues should provide a clearer picture of his ceiling.

Like Quick and Gallagher, Bohorquez remains a developmental possibility rather than a guaranteed rotation option. The Twins need several prospects to take meaningful steps forward if they want to build a sustainable rotation internally.

How Will the Twins Fill the Rotation in 2028?

The Twins have time to address their long-term rotation concerns, but they cannot assume every young pitcher will develop as hoped. Bradley looks like the clearest building block, while Prielipp, Matthews, Abel, and Rojas each have opportunities to establish themselves in different ways. Gallagher, Quick, and Bohorquez offer additional possibilities, although they still need to prove they can handle the demands of higher-level competition.

Minnesota should also recognize that developing a rotation entirely from within is difficult. Injuries, inconsistent performance, and stalled development can quickly turn apparent organizational depth into a shortage of reliable starters.

Extending Bradley would be a logical first step. The Twins should also continue evaluating their younger arms while remaining open to acquiring starting pitching through trades or free agency. The 2027 season will be important for identifying which pitchers belong in the long-term picture. By the time 2028 arrives, Minnesota could have several young starters ready to take on larger roles. However, the organization will need more than potential to replace the experience and production that could depart.

The question is not simply who will start games for the Twins in 2028. It is whether Minnesota can develop enough reliable pitching to avoid rebuilding its rotation from scratch.

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Who will be part of Minnesota’s 2028 rotation? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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[DJL44]

The Brewers would be figuring out how to trade all four starters with expiring contracts for new talent.

[Peter]

You forgot about festa

[mike8791]

The Twins could have a "starting pitching crisis" if they just sit on their hands and do nothing.  In reality, while there are issues to address, the Twin's starting rotation is one of their strengths, not weaknesses.  Bradley is a rising star and Prielipp showed a lot of promise.  Mathews showed a lot of promise, albeit erratically, and should be pencilled into a 2028 rotation.  There is no reason Lopez should not return to form in '27 and be extended.  Kremer's history should give some optimism for future success.  Abel has excellent upside potential.

The potential of this group has added to the speculation that Ryan can be traded to bring in a badly needed 1B with middle-of-the-order potential - and be replaced with a FA with good upside potential.  This is not a bad position to be in, especially if TP puts his $ where his mouth is, enabling Zoll to bring in a meaningful FA.  Yes, this team has holes and needs smart reinforcement, but the rotation is unlikely to be at the top of the team's "need list".

 

[MinnInPa]

Gallagher ?? really ?? wouldnt count on matthews either as more than a #5..but, maybe a new pitching staff can help him out.. similar to others that have left organization and improved greatly(Varland)

[tony&rodney]

33 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

The Brewers would be figuring out how to trade all four starters with expiring contracts for new talent.

Certainly there is a market for all of Ryan, Lopez, Kremer, and Ober. The Twins should be aggressively seeking out where the interest might return talent. The failure to think ahead has been an organizational problem for a decade.

6 minutes ago, mike8791 said:

The Twins could have a "starting pitching crisis" if they just sit on their hands and do nothing.  In reality, while there are issues to address, the Twin's starting rotation is one of their strengths, not weaknesses.  Bradley is a rising star and Prielipp showed a lot of promise.  Mathews showed a lot of promise, albeit erratically, and should be pencilled into a 2028 rotation.  There is no reason Lopez should not return to form in '27 and be extended.  Kremer's history should give some optimism for future success.  Abel has excellent upside potential.

The potential of this group has added to the speculation that Ryan can be traded to bring in a badly needed 1B with middle-of-the-order potential - and be replaced with a FA with good upside potential.  This is not a bad position to be in, especially if TP puts his $ where his mouth is, enabling Zoll to bring in a meaningful FA.  Yes, this team has holes and needs smart reinforcement, but the rotation is unlikely to be at the top of the team's "need list".

 

"Sitting on their hands" has been the preferred modus operandi for our favorite team. The rotation can be improved but, as stated above, it is not a concern and unless the Twins decide, against any common wisdom, to not use their young pitchers in 2027 the club will be in decent shape for 2028. The photo that goes with the article shows Kendry Rojas. Rojas should be used in the bullpen if he does not open the year in the rotation. Taj Bradley and Connor Prielipp should in the rotation from the start of the year. Certainly Mick Abel may display the skills that demand he is placed in the rotation as well. The Twins front office needs to work this offseason.

[jmlease1]

Really? We're making up a 2028 crisis now? Talk about starved for content.

As noted, this is only a "crisis" if the Twins literally do nothing. But beyond that, having a projected rotation with Bradley, Prielipp, Abel, and Matthews with a PTBNL in the 5th slot is better than where the Twins were year after year in the 2010's...

[Twins GFP]

I am still trying to figure out how having too much potential SP depth is a problem...

There is no reason they won't re-sign at least one of the Lopez/Kremer/Ober group (enough of the dumping on Ober, he is a reliable 4/5). If not, then they will get moved next year.

This rotation:
Bradley
Lopez/Ober/Kremer
Prelipp
Abel
Matthews
Rojas

Looks like potentially two SP2 (Lopez, Bradley), two SP3 (Prelipp, Abel), followed by SP4/5s. Could Bradley or Prelipp make a jump? Sure. Could they use a true SP1? Couldn't every team use an SP1? I am not even touching on the other guys mentioned in the article...

Looking at the totality of the Twins problems, starting pitching doesn't feel to be near the top of the list right now. Even two years down the line.

[Riverbrian]

Crisis is a little dramatic. Having multiple young arms isn't a crises.

However... they are going to hit a wall.. the question is how hard do they want to hit that wall.   

The Twins will need to decide if they are going to go for it again in 2027. They have the starting pitching depth to go for it but they will have a lot of questions marks elsewhere. Going for it with the starting pitching leading the way will result in hitting that wall full speed with 4 expiring contracts gone after. Leaving major question marks in the entire rotation for 2028.   

Or they could attempt to slow down a little this off-season by moving some of expiring contracts during a labor negotiation that could freeze everything for a period of time. Trading some of the expiring contracts will lessen the depth necessary to get through the 2027 season but it will give them a chance to identify who will be ready and counted on in 2028.  

At this point with trade value significantly reduced. Another run at this thing is somewhat justifiable. But, if they are going to do that. They will need to rely on young players like Culpepper, Jenkins, Emma and Keaschall to carry a lot of water and they will need depth for insurance in case they struggle carrying water and these type of struggles can't be ruled out. Signing specialists in the off-season will not provide that insurance if Culpepper gets hurt or hits .180. 

I am not afraid of youth so a solid pitching staff with young talent on the offensive side can work. 

There is an opinion that going young means a 5 year rebuild. This is wrong. It can be done in less than a year. Young teams struggle when there is no talent on the roster in any department. The Young Nationals hit the ball in 2026 better than a lot of vet led teams. The Young Nationals could not pitch to support that hitting. We hopefully have starting pitching in 2027. 

I don't have a problem with young pitching in 2028. But, it needs to be developed a little in 2027 to see what you are working with.

You will delay that development running into the wall full speed in 2027 and we could be the 2026 Nationals in 2028. A bunch of good young hitters with a bunch of average or below average starting pitchers.  

Mitigation of the wall will require swapping some one year left guys for someone with two years left. Trading Ober and signing Trevor Rogers to a two year deal. That sort of thing. 

The front office needs to choose and make that decision around labor strife. 

 

[The Great Hambino]

I still think they need a ceiling-raising starter to add to this group if they actually intend on competing next year (the organizational plan from last few years of just wishing upon quantum leaps in internal improvement isn't going to cut it).  It may not be the biggest immediate need, but it's also probably the easiest area to make improvements if you look at this offseason's FA market.  Ideally their resources would be put toward a real lineup-anchoring thumper at 1B, but that just isn't on the menu this year.  And a pitcher of that quality improves your outlook for several years, not just 2027.

I'm more concerned about the next wave of starting pitching prospects beyond the ones that have made their MLB debuts.  Quick is the only pitcher in the top 13 of their updated MLB Pipeline organizational rankings, and the next two ranked pitchers were just drafted this year and haven't yet moved past rookie ball.  Of the guys mentioned in the article, Gallagher is likely emergency depth at best, and Bohorquez has a ways to go before he can be relied upon as a fixture in the rotation.  Festa is teetering very close to Canterino territory in that you can't count on anything out of him - whatever he can give you would be a bonus

If this isn't addressed soon, it could become an expensive problem down the line

[MapleGroveTwinsFan]

33 minutes ago, Twins GFP said:

I am still trying to figure out how having too much potential SP depth is a problem...

There is no reason they won't re-sign at least one of the Lopez/Kremer/Ober group (enough of the dumping on Ober, he is a reliable 4/5). If not, then they will get moved next year.

This rotation:
Bradley
Lopez/Ober/Kremer
Prelipp
Abel
Matthews
Rojas

Looks like potentially two SP2 (Lopez, Bradley), two SP3 (Prelipp, Abel), followed by SP4/5s. Could Bradley or Prelipp make a jump? Sure. Could they use a true SP1? Couldn't every team use an SP1? I am not even touching on the other guys mentioned in the article...

Looking at the totality of the Twins problems, starting pitching doesn't feel to be near the top of the list right now. Even two years down the line.

This article is about 2028, not next year. Lopez, Ober, Kremer and Ryan are all free agents in 2028.

That leaves the Twins with Bradley, Prielipp, Abel, Matthews and Rojas, and really that is one starting pitcher with any real track record (Bradley). If 27 isn't about finding out what Prielipp, Abel, Matthews and Rojas have to offer as starting pitchers, 28 will be a crisis and the Twins will likely be looking at signing multiple starting pitching. That may not be the end of the world, but it sure seems like it would cost a ton to fill a rotation with FA's, but not having any high price offensive players, it might not be that bad either. 

[Cris E]

So this is a crisis in two years and the solution is to trade away everything and make it a bigger crisis next year?  How is having a lot of talented youth in the early stages of their career worse than having even more youth but further away from the majors?

And how does this compare to our SS crisis, where the incumbent looks OK but isn't a proven all-star and we only have one or two others in the upper minors to replace him with?

Or the CF crisis where our all-star best player gets hurt and neither of the top 100 prospects are proven yet, so the "next couple of seasons will be important in determining whether [they] become a ... fixture "

How about a real crisis at C or 1B or 2B?  Or even our 3B crisis where Lee hasn't hit 25 HR  30 HR yet and only has a year at the position? 

Yeesh. There have been some good games on this week. Go watch a couple and learn to enjoy the game again.

[MeleMouth]

This is a made-up issue, but congrats on using a good imagination to keep coming up with content.

The Twins already have five potentially decent starters for 2028 without doing anything. If the team is good in 2028, they can pick up an ace in the winter or summer trade market and move everybody back. Six of the ten pitchers with the most fWAR in the 21st Century and five of the top 10 since 2017 were mid-season trade rentals, including future Hall of Famers Scherzer and Greinke twice. Also, there are usually affordable starters available in free agency, some of whom end up providing 3 or more WAR.

Pitchers are always subject to unforeseen injury, and the odds that any particular pitcher will get injured go up - sometimes a lot - as time goes on. Making any kind of trade now to buttress a pitching staff 18 months from now would be one of the biggest team-building mistakes possible. 

Similarly, signing a long-term contract with any of the current pitchers would have a good chance of working out as poorly as the long-term contract with Pablo Lopez has.

[saviking]

Call me stupid but I thought there was alot to like in Kremer last year. I'm not talking about a headliner but more someone who could replace Ober in the 4 or 5 slot. 

And resigning him after this year wouldn't break the bank. 

[TNtwins85]

2 hours ago, Peter said:

You forgot about festa

Festa who? He needs to prove he can even throw a baseball before penciling him into anything. He’s now missed nearly 2 years. I want him in the picture but he’s not in the picture at this point.

[Nashvilletwin]

Wouldn’t be any issues at all if they had pulled the trigger on trading Ryan for Tolle (and  Arias - the #2 prospect overall) and Jeffers for Elayason instead of being short-term delusional idiots.

If they had, this article would be about how we have the best young rotation in baseball.

[TNtwins85]

1 hour ago, mike8791 said:

The Twins could have a "starting pitching crisis" if they just sit on their hands and do nothing.  In reality, while there are issues to address, the Twin's starting rotation is one of their strengths, not weaknesses.  Bradley is a rising star and Prielipp showed a lot of promise.  Mathews showed a lot of promise, albeit erratically, and should be pencilled into a 2028 rotation.  There is no reason Lopez should not return to form in '27 and be extended.  Kremer's history should give some optimism for future success.  Abel has excellent upside potential.

The potential of this group has added to the speculation that Ryan can be traded to bring in a badly needed 1B with middle-of-the-order potential - and be replaced with a FA with good upside potential.  This is not a bad position to be in, especially if TP puts his $ where his mouth is, enabling Zoll to bring in a meaningful FA.  Yes, this team has holes and needs smart reinforcement, but the rotation is unlikely to be at the top of the team's "need list".

 

Everyone keeps saying this but it really hasn’t been. That’s why Maki was let go. On paper yes. At the end of the last 2 seasons based on the stats, no. The article was about the future of the rotation. Where’s the next Ryan? Lopez? Ober? Is there candidates? Yes, Bradley took a big step this year. Abel looked the part for a month and Prielipp held his own. They need more depth and that comes from the system and the system looks bare for ‘28. Guys step up for sure. Not very many stepped up this year though in the minors. 

[bean5302]

4 minutes ago, saviking said:

Call me stupid but I thought there was alot to like in Kremer last year. I'm not talking about a headliner but more someone who could replace Ober in the 4 or 5 slot. 

And resigning him after this year wouldn't break the bank. 

We have Kremer under team control. He's arbitration eligible. Same situation as Ober. I think one of the two is fine for the back end of the rotation, but I definitely don't want both.

Some on the board feel like Ober should move to the bullpen, but I don't think he's worth $7MM in the 'pen.

Bottom line is both Kremer and Ober are teetering on the edge of serviceable at this point. One small step backwards and they're guys you don't want pitching for you. They don't have options. They're not cheap (average MLB salary is $5MM), and both Kremer and Ober are over that figure for next year at about $7MM each.

[Blyleven2011]

Don’t quit your day job and quit scaring the people like the politicians do …

crisis my arse …

 

[jmlease1]

13 minutes ago, TNtwins85 said:

Festa who? He needs to prove he can even throw a baseball before penciling him into anything. He’s now missed nearly 2 years. I want him in the picture but he’s not in the picture at this point.

Correct. I'm rooting for the guy, but until he's actually back on the mound and throwing competitive innings, we simply can't consider him as part of anything. His return would be additive, but you can't bet on it at all at this point.

[TNtwins85]

20 minutes ago, MeleMouth said:

This is a made-up issue, but congrats on using a good imagination to keep coming up with content.

The Twins already have five potentially decent starters for 2028 without doing anything. If the team is good in 2028, they can pick up an ace in the winter or summer trade market and move everybody back. Six of the ten pitchers with the most fWAR in the 21st Century and five of the top 10 since 2017 were mid-season trade rentals, including future Hall of Famers Scherzer and Greinke twice. Also, there are usually affordable starters available in free agency, some of whom end up providing 3 or more WAR.

Pitchers are always subject to unforeseen injury, and the odds that any particular pitcher will get injured go up - sometimes a lot - as time goes on. Making any kind of trade now to buttress a pitching staff 18 months from now would be one of the biggest team-building mistakes possible. 

Similarly, signing a long-term contract with any of the current pitchers would have a good chance of working out as poorly as the long-term contract with Pablo Lopez has.

Yeah you’ve got 5 guys. No team makes it the whole season with 5 guys though. Yes, guys will step up. Who are the next guys in line though in ‘28? Are they guys who can give you legit starts in July, August and September and can keep you in games? Or are they guys who are simply placeholders? That’s the question being asked. And it’s a real one. The system leaves a big question mark as far as depth at the moment.

[Parfigliano]

2 hours ago, Peter said:

You forgot about festa

I dont think so.

[bean5302]

1 minute ago, Parfigliano said:

I dont think so.

Festa, Canterino and Soto will all win the Cy Young next year.

[TNtwins85]

5 minutes ago, Blyleven2011 said:

Don’t quit your day job and quit scaring the people like the politicians do …

crisis my arse …

 

Then stop reading and listening to it. 

[Blyleven2011]

3 minutes ago, Parfigliano said:

I dont think so.

Will canterino ever be healthy 

[TNtwins85]

4 minutes ago, jmlease1 said:

Correct. I'm rooting for the guy, but until he's actually back on the mound and throwing competitive innings, we simply can't consider him as part of anything. His return would be additive, but you can't bet on it at all at this point.

I’d love for him to come back and be a legit late inning guy. Until he’s on a mound though I simply don’t know. 

[Blyleven2011]

1 minute ago, TNtwins85 said:

Then stop reading and listening to it. 

I’m not scared reading this  , let’s wait for an article like this in August to determine what our pitching will be like in 2028 …

[MeleMouth]

5 minutes ago, TNtwins85 said:

Yeah you’ve got 5 guys. No team makes it the whole season with 5 guys though. Yes, guys will step up. Who are the next guys in line though in ‘28? Are they guys who can give you legit starts in July, August and September and can keep you in games? Or are they guys who are simply placeholders? That’s the question being asked. And it’s a real one. The system leaves a big question mark as far as depth at the moment.

None of the four teams in the 2026 ALCS or NLCS had all of their current starters in line two years ago. In fact, a large percentage of their starters were acquired within the past 3 to 15 months and at least three of the best other pitchers, Misiorowski, Henderson, and Messick, had a lot of doubt about them at this time in 2024.

Worrying about the 2028 rotation at this time is useless anxiety, especially when you have five good internal candidates who have pitched in the majors already, plus several other candidates in the lower minors, and have many larger problems to solve before being a truly competitive team. 

[TNtwins85]

1 hour ago, MapleGroveTwinsFan said:

This article is about 2028, not next year. Lopez, Ober, Kremer and Ryan are all free agents in 2028.

That leaves the Twins with Bradley, Prielipp, Abel, Matthews and Rojas, and really that is one starting pitcher with any real track record (Bradley). If 27 isn't about finding out what Prielipp, Abel, Matthews and Rojas have to offer as starting pitchers, 28 will be a crisis and the Twins will likely be looking at signing multiple starting pitching. That may not be the end of the world, but it sure seems like it would cost a ton to fill a rotation with FA's, but not having any high price offensive players, it might not be that bad either. 

Correct, they did this in the early Falvine days when the system was still pitch to contact and draft college relievers and turn them into starters from the Terry Ryan era. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it flops. That’s why you stock the system with pitchers and see what comes out in the wash through development. If you draft 12 pitchers and in 2-4 years you get 2 average or better guys out of that that’s probably replacement level competency. They need to ramp that up to not be forced to go the FA route. 

[farmerguychris]

I expect when the time eventually comes to trade Ryan, we'll need to get 1 or 2 almost ready for the major starters in return.