3 Free-Agent Relievers Who Could Give the Twins a Lift

[Sam Caulder]

Image courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins entered the 2026 season knowing their bullpen would be a weakness, and the front office did little to address that problem after last year's trade deadline fire sale. They felt the effects of that decision throughout the season, leaving another offseason with plenty of work to do. While the bullpen is in a better place than it was a year ago, there are still some significant holes to fill.

Tom Pohlad and the front office have another opportunity to address those needs this winter. If the Twins want to compete in 2027, adding some reliable late-inning arms should be near the top of their offseason checklist. With that in mind, here are three relief pitchers the Twins should target in free agency.

LHP Alex Vesia

Vesia will probably be the most expensive option on this list, but with Taylor Rogers and A.J. Minter both set to become free agents, the Twins could use another reliable left-handed option in the bullpen. He’s established himself as a dependable reliever with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his 2026 numbers suggest he could be a significant addition to Minnesota's relief corps.

He finished the season with a 2.64 ERA and 74 strikeouts over 58 innings. Those are impressive numbers on their own, but the underlying data makes his performance even more appealing. Both his whiff rate and strikeout rate ranked in the 95th percentile or better, while his hard-hit rate, barrel rate and average exit velocity were all within the top quarter of the league. Vesia consistently missed bats while limiting the quality of contact when hitters did put the ball in play.

One of the more interesting aspects of Vesia's arsenal is his delivery. He throws almost straight over the top, with a 69° arm angle that helps his four-seam fastball generate a lot of run up in the strike zone. That fastball also helps his secondary pitches play up. Neither his slider nor his changeup has an especially impressive movement profile, but both pitches generate plenty of whiffs because hitters have to respect the fastball.

Vesia figures to be one of the better relief pitchers available this winter, and his price tag will likely reflect that. The Twins have other needs to address, but if they're willing to spend on the bullpen, he would be a significant upgrade.

RHP Bryan Abreu

The Twins almost acquired Abreu at the trade deadline. Minnesota and the Houston Astros reportedly had a deal in place that would have sent Trevor Larnach to Houston in exchange for Abreu. The trade ultimately fell through, but perhaps his destiny was always to wind up in Minnesota.

He had a somewhat disappointing 2026 campaign by his standards, finishing with a 3.73 ERA after averaging a 2.27 mark over the previous four seasons. However, there's still plenty to like about his underlying numbers, and one down year shouldn't erase what he's accomplished throughout his career.

Both his whiff rate and strikeout rate ranked in the 91st percentile or higher, while all three of his pitches generate sharp vertical movement. His stuff remains good enough to miss bats at an elite rate, which is exactly what the Twins need from someone who could handle high-leverage situations. The biggest concern, with both Abreu and Vesia, is command.

Abreu finished the season with a walk rate north of 15%, while Vesia also walked more than 13% of the hitters he faced. That's a problem for a Twins bullpen that already has too many relievers who struggle to consistently throw strikes.

Still, Abreu's walk rate was comfortably the worst of his career, so there's reason to believe he can improve in that area. His track record gives the Twins a legitimate reason to expect a bounce-back season in 2027 and beyond. Coming off a down year, he could also be more affordable than he would’ve been after another dominant season. He comes with some risk, but the upside is difficult to ignore. If the Twins want an established late-inning arm without paying the absolute top of the market, he would be an intriguing target.

RHP Kevin Ginkel

Ginkel has spent his entire major league career with the Arizona Diamondbacks, and his results over the past couple of seasons probably don't inspire much confidence at first glance. He finished with a 7.36 ERA in 2025 before posting a 4.12 mark this year. However, there's more to his recent performance than those numbers suggest.

He dealt with recurring shoulder issues in 2025 that limited him to just 25 2/3 innings. Despite his struggles, he finished with a 3.64 FIP, suggesting he pitched considerably better than his ERA indicated. The underlying numbers were encouraging again in 2026. Ginkel ranked in the 77th percentile or better in both strikeout rate and whiff rate, while his chase rate landed in the 94th percentile. He continued to generate swings and misses, and hitters had a difficult time laying off pitches outside the strike zone.

Unlike Vesia and Abreu, Ginkel also did a much better job limiting walks. He's finished with a walk rate of 6.2% or better in each of his last two healthy seasons, which would be a welcome addition to a bullpen that needs more reliable command.

Ginkel is essentially a two-pitch pitcher, relying primarily on his slider and four-seam fastball. He doesn’t have as deep an arsenal as some other options on the market, but his stuff has been effective enough to make the combination work. Given his inconsistent results over the past two seasons, the Twins probably wouldn't need to pay top dollar to bring him aboard. There's some risk involved, especially considering his fairly recent shoulder problems, but his underlying numbers suggest there's still something worth pursuing.

Vesia offers the most reliable production, Abreu brings high-end strikeout stuff, and Ginkel could be a more affordable option with the potential to outperform his recent results. If the Twins can land the right combination of those profiles, their bullpen could look considerably different in 2027.

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[tony&rodney]

Two guys. The Twins need to identify and sign 2 bullpen arms. Money should not be an issue. The length of contract could be a barrier. If the Twins can add a couple of relievers to Hoffman, Gomez, Morris, Sands, Adams, Funderburk, Rojas, and anyone else that stands out from the minor leagues or from an invite ..... well, the pen should be improved. 

These three (Vesia, Abreu, Ginkel) sound like possible choices. I would think that the new pitching coaches might have some ideas.

[soyouresayingtheresachance]

Vesia would be fine, although Minter would be great, as well. Both solid lefties. 

No to the other 2. I dont trust any player from Houston. 

David Bednar is the other guy we need. 

A solid lefty and a high end Closer and suddenly our BP looks a whole lot better 

[Cory Engelhardt]

I would love Abreu for sure, and Vesia seems great. But I think a Bednar (Shelton certainly speaks glowingly of him from his time in Pittsburgh) or Raisel Iglesias or another that can be put into the closing role would be good, along with another setup caliber arm. Heck, I'd even shoot for 3 mlb free agent arms, a couple that are on multi year deals and another maybe after the lockout is lifted on a 1 year deal. 

[darin617]

I wouldn't have a problem with Vesia as a bullpen addition. They need to swing big and go for whoever is the best free agent closer or look to trade for one.

The bullpen has some good arms already but if they want to contend they need a shutdown closer.

[SE23]

Who do we move to make room for FA signing(s)?

 

Proposed 2027 Twins Pitchers

 

SP - Taj Bradley

SP - Pablo Lopez

SP - Joe Ryan

SP - Mick Abel

SP - Connor Prielipp

SP - Dean Kremer

RP - Bailey Ober

RP - Zebby Matthews

RP - Kendry Rojas

RP - Jeff Hofman

RP - Yoendrys Gomez

RP - Kody Funderburk

RP - AJ Minter

 

 

Pitchers to stash in St Paul:

 

RP - Andrew Morris

RP - Travis Adams

RP - David Festa

RP - Mike Paredes

RP - Jack Anderson

RP - Garrett Acton

RP - Marco Raya

RP - Cole Sands

[Cory Engelhardt]

12 minutes ago, SE23 said:

Who do we move to make room for FA signing(s)?

 

Proposed 2027 Twins Pitchers

 

SP - Taj Bradley

SP - Pablo Lopez - Hope he is healthy

SP - Joe Ryan - Sure, get a good trade

SP - Mick Abel - Hope he is healthy

SP - Connor Prielipp

SP - Dean Kremer 

RP - Bailey Ober - Absolutely ready to move on

RP - Zebby Matthews - He also does have options, but I bet he starts the year on the big league club in some capacity

RP - Kendry Rojas - start at St. Paul

RP - Jeff Hoffman

RP - Yoendrys Gomez

RP - Kody Funderburk - Also has options

RP - AJ Minter - I'd also love to resign him

 

 

Pitchers to stash in St Paul:

 

RP - Andrew Morris 

RP - Travis Adams - The way he ended the year I can see him starting the season in the majors

RP - David Festa - I wonder if he truly will ever pitch again

RP - Mike Paredes - Good stash

RP - Jack Anderson - Gone

RP - Garrett Acton - I'm fine with moving on

RP - Marco Raya - He very much has options, but I'd also be ok with moving on

RP - Cole Sands - Again, ok to move on from

 

[SE23]

5 minutes ago, Cory Engelhardt said:

 

Appreciate the input and commentary!

[SE23]

Your pruning makes our pitching 'depth' look far less deep...

Proposed Twins Staff

 

SP - Taj Bradley

SP - Pablo Lopez - If healthy

SP - Mick Abel - If healthy

SP - Connor Prielipp

SP - Dean Kremer 

RP - Zebby Matthews 

RP - Jeff Hoffman

RP - Travis Adams

RP - Yoendrys Gomez

RP - Kody Funderburk 

RP - AJ Minter 

 

To stash in St Paul:

 

RP - Kendry Rojas 

RP - Andrew Morris 

RP - Mike Paredes