Raisel Iglesias Could Be Perfect One-Year Solution to Twins' Bullpen Problem

[Matthew Taylor]

The Minnesota Twins need bullpen help heading into the 2027 season. That much is obvious. In 2026, the Twins bullpen finished 26th in baseball with a 4.74 ERA; 20th in strikeout rate, at 21.9%; and 29th in walk rate, at 11.2%. By just about any metric, the Twins bullpen was one of the worst in the league. While things improved somewhat in the second half of the season (thanks in large part to the trade deadline acquisitions of Tommy Nance, A.J. Minter, and Jeff Hoffman), the bullpen still ranked just 18th in baseball after the All-Star break. Some major holes still need to be addressed.

Hoffman, Andrew Morris, Yoendrys Gómez, and Nance are locked into roster spots heading into next season, but the other four spots in the bullpen are completely up for grabs, with at least a couple of those spots likely needing to be filled through free agency. The question is not whether the Twins need to add a free agent reliever or two, but rather, how high a caliber of reliever they can realistically target.

More specifically, do the Twins need to sign someone better than Hoffman to fill the closer role? I'm of the opinion that they do. Hoffman is an excellent reliever, but he has also shown some cracks and a propensity to have a blowup every now and again. Additionally, his injury risk (after undergoing an elbow cleanup this offseason) makes him someone the Twins should probably have an insurance policy for. Counting on Hoffman as the only veteran big arm in the bullpen could backfire if his elbow becomes a recurring concern. Having a pitcher like Hoffman in the setup role, meanwhile, would instantly make him one of the best setup men in baseball. Not needing to rely on him as the team's number one option would make him even more valuable as an elite number two.

So, with that in mind, who would be a good fit to fill the closer role for the Twins? That question became a bit more complicated after reports that the two top relievers on the free agent market, Adrian Morejon and David Bednar, received qualifying offers from their current teams. The Twins likely weren't going to pursue either player in the first place, but the draft pick compensation attached to signing them (combined with the likelihood of an expensive multi-year price tag) makes them even less realistic targets.

The Twins have shown time and time again that they're unwilling to sign a reliever to a multi-year deal. The last time they did so was in 2018, when they signed Addison Reed. Given the budgetary constraints the Twins continue to place on themselves, committing multiple years to the most unstable position in baseball is not something they have shown a willingness to do, which makes sense. There is a lot of risk involved in handing out multi-year contracts to relievers, and the Twins are not in a position where they can afford to take that kind of risk on a regular basis.

There is a free agent available, however, who could fill the closer role for the Minnesota Twins without requiring a multi-year commitment. That pitcher is Raisel Iglesias.

Iglesias is a 12-year veteran with plenty of experience closing games, having recorded 297 career saves between the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves. In his 10 seasons as a full-time closer, Iglesias has posted a 2.72 ERA while striking out 11 batters per nine innings and walking just two. He has been rock solid year after year and is coming off his first All-Star appearance in his age-36 season. Last year, Iglesias posted a 2.55 ERA across 60 innings, saving 34 games, which tied a career high. His four-seam fastball velocity has ticked down a bit, sitting at 94.3 MPH after reaching 96 MPH at his peak, but he is still striking out nearly 10 batters per nine innings, limiting walks (extra important given the Twins' bullpen control issues), and generating plenty of swing and miss.

The most enticing part of Iglesias's free agency is his age. At 37 years old, he's likely to be looking at a one-year commitment, rather than a multi-year deal. That commitment will not come cheap, as most projections have him earning somewhere in the $16 million to $17 million range for the 2027 season. That is a significant amount of money for a reliever, especially for a Twins team that has rarely shown a willingness to spend at that level. However, on a one-year deal without the risk of a multi-year commitment, the price becomes much more palatable. 

Of course, there is risk with signing a 37-year-old to be your closer, but Iglesias really hasn't shown any signs of a drop-off and has historically been a very healthy pitcher. Only twice in his 12-year career has he failed to eclipse 60 innings in a season.

A signing like this would give the Twins an elite back end of the bullpen featuring Iglesias, Hoffman, Gómez, and Morris. It would also give the Twins some much-needed insurance behind Hoffman while allowing him to settle into a setup role where he could be even more effective. Rather than relying on Hoffman to be the team's best reliever while also hoping he stays healthy, the Twins could build a bullpen with two legitimate late-inning weapons and a much clearer hierarchy.

The Twins have never paid a reliever anywhere close to what it would take to sign Iglesias. That is the biggest obstacle to this idea becoming a reality. But when you can fill one of the biggest holes on your team with an All-Star closer who has been reliable year after year, has postseason experience, and could provide some veteran leadership in the clubhouse, the idea becomes a lot more enticing—especially when you can do it without committing multiple years to him. This would require an investment from Tom Pohald, but he has continued to say he's willing to invest where it makes sense, and it's hard to argue that an investment in plugging the most glaring hole on the roster, while avoiding a multi-year commitment, doesn't make sense.

The Twins have plenty of needs heading into 2027, and there are certainly other areas of the roster that will require financial investment. But the bullpen was one of the team's biggest weaknesses in 2026, and it is difficult to imagine the Twins being a legitimate contender next season without making significant improvements. Iglesias would give them a proven closer, allow Hoffman to slide into a more comfortable role, and provide a level of stability that the Twins bullpen has lacked for years.

Would you be willing to see the Twins spend $16 million to $17 million on Raisel Iglesias, if it meant only committing to one year? Or is that simply too much money for a reliever, even one of Iglesias' caliber? Leave a comment below and start the conversation!

Image courtesy of Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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[Blyleven2011]

They just gave Jeffers an over pay qualifying offer of 23 plus million , then an over pay for a veteran 37 years old should be right in line for a closer …

twins are in limbo in my opinion and will hold off on expensive free agents until Jeffers makes up his mind to turn it down or accept it …

everyone has been saying we need to get younger …

[DJL44]

11 minutes ago, Blyleven2011 said:

twins are in limbo in my opinion and will hold off on expensive free agents until Jeffers makes up his mind to turn it down or accept it …

everyone has been saying we need to get younger …

Yes, there will be a mad dash for free agents between now and Dec 1 and the Twins will be spending 2 weeks waiting to see if Jeffers takes the offer. Take out Thanksgiving and they’ll have about 10 days to do all of their offseason shopping.

[Cory Engelhardt]

I actually do think they could have been in on Bednar had he not gotten the QO. Shelton LOVES him from his time in Pittsburgh. Alas, a move like this makes a lot of sense too.

[tony&rodney]

Sign the best bullpen arm that will accept an offer and agree to join the Twins. The loss of a draft choice is not a barrier .... or it should not be. 

The more apt question is - Will TP and Zoll actually be willing to improve the team?