The Twins Have Plenty of Starters. So Why Are They Shopping for More?

The Minnesota Twins have several decisions to make as they reshape their pitching staff for the 2027 season. While the organization has a considerable amount of starting pitching depth, that doesn't mean the front office is completely satisfied with its current group. Finding the right balance between the rotation and bullpen could become one of the organization's biggest offseason priorities.

In a recent report for The Athletic, Dan Hayes examined how Minnesota could approach its pitching situation. The Twins have enough candidates to fill a five-man rotation, but some of those arms could be better suited for different roles. Minnesota could add more starters and explore ways to strengthen its bullpen by moving some of its existing pitching depth into relief.

“It’s something that we need to be open-minded to, knowing that it feels like an area of surplus but also want to be mindful of not eating into that too much since we know we’re going to need real depth to attack the season,” Twins GM Jeremy Zoll said at the general managers’ meetings.

Hayes' outlook points to a potentially creative approach. Minnesota could pursue additional starting pitching while also evaluating which members of its current staff might be more valuable coming out of the bullpen. That would allow the club to address multiple needs without completely overhauling its pitching staff.

A Crowded Rotation Creates Opportunities

The Twins have eight legitimate starting candidates under team control entering 2027: Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley, Dean Kremer, Bailey Ober, Connor Prielipp, Zebby Matthews and Mick Abel. That depth creates some interesting possibilities. The organization could move one of its established starters through a trade, pursue another starting pitcher and use its remaining depth to address the bullpen.

However, having eight candidates doesn't necessarily mean Minnesota has eight dependable options. López and Abel are both coming back from elbow procedures, while Matthews and Ober have questions to answer after inconsistent seasons. Prielipp made progress in 2026, but he is still developing as a big-league starter. The Twins learned how quickly starting pitching depth can disappear last season when injuries forced the organization to constantly adjust its plans.

That makes the idea of adding another starter particularly interesting. Minnesota could have enough internal options to fill its rotation, but adding an established arm would provide insurance against injuries and give the coaching staff more flexibility. It could also allow the front office to consider moving a starter in a trade without leaving the rotation short-handed.

There is also a financial component to consider. Ryan, López, Kremer and Ober are all eligible for free agency following the 2027 season. Minnesota could look to secure another controllable starter rather than risk losing multiple members of its rotation after next season. Zoll has already acknowledged that the team's starting pitching depth could create opportunities.

Some Starters Could Find New Roles

The other part of Minnesota's approach could involve transitioning certain pitchers into full-time relief roles. Not every pitcher who has experience starting needs to remain in that capacity, especially when the organization has several candidates competing for five rotation spots.

David Festa and Kendry Rojas are two intriguing possibilities to consider. Festa has the stuff to potentially become an effective bullpen weapon, while Rojas has previously flashed the potential to help Minnesota at the big-league level. However, Festa has dealt with injuries over the last two seasons and the Twins likely want Rojas to continue to get starting experience. Still, a move to relief could give either pitcher a clearer path to consistent major league opportunities.

Zebby Matthews is another name worth monitoring as the organization evaluates its depth. However, his ability to develop as a starting pitcher could make Minnesota hesitant to move him out of that role permanently. The same could be true for other young pitchers who still have opportunities to establish themselves in the rotation.

The Twins have had success developing pitchers who eventually found their best roles in the bullpen. Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax became two of the organization's most valuable relievers after beginning their professional careers as starting pitchers. Louis Varland also found a path to success in relief after struggling to establish himself as a consistent rotation option. Andrew Morris provides another example of the organization having pitchers with starting experience who could offer flexibility in different roles.

Those transitions don't necessarily mean a pitcher has failed as a starter. Sometimes a shorter appearance allows a pitcher to focus on his best pitches without worrying about navigating a lineup multiple times. A move to the bullpen can also allow pitchers to throw harder and become more aggressive with their arsenals. For an organization with several young arms competing for rotation opportunities, finding the right bullpen conversions could be just as important as signing an outside starter.

The Bullpen Still Needs Reinforcements

Even with some internal candidates available, Minnesota cannot expect every bullpen problem to disappear through position changes. The organization needs additional dependable arms, particularly in higher-leverage situations.

A.J. Minter is a free agent, leaving another potential opening among the left-handed relievers. Currently, Kody Funderburk is the top lefty, and he seems better suited to be the second-best southpaw in a competitive bullpen. Minnesota needs another experienced option who can handle important situations against left-handed hitters without placing too much pressure on Funderburk.

The organization could address that need internally by moving Rojas into relief, but that would come with a developmental decision. Rojas has starting experience and could still provide value as rotation depth. Minnesota must determine whether his long-term upside is greater as a starter or whether his stuff could translate into a more immediate contribution in the bullpen.

Jeff Hoffman, Yoendrys Gómez and Morris provide some returning options, but the Twins need more dependable depth. The bullpen struggled with consistency throughout 2026, and the organization cannot afford to enter another season hoping several unproven pitchers will suddenly become reliable late-inning options.

Adding another starting pitcher could also have a ripple effect throughout the roster. If Minnesota acquires an established rotation arm, it could give the coaching staff additional flexibility to move a younger pitcher into relief. That could create opportunities for pitchers who might otherwise be stuck waiting for a rotation opening.

Ultimately, the Twins have several ways to improve their pitching staff without relying exclusively on expensive free-agent additions. Hayes' reporting highlights the importance of evaluating the entire pitching group rather than looking at the rotation and bullpen as separate areas.

Minnesota has enough starting pitching candidates to make some difficult decisions this winter. The challenge for Zoll will be finding the right combination of established starters, developing prospects and bullpen additions to build a staff capable of competing over a full 162-game season. Adding another starter might seem unnecessary at first glance, but it could be the move that allows the Twins to improve multiple areas of their pitching staff.

Should the Twins add another starter this winter? Which starter would make the best relief candidate? Leave a comment ands start the discussion. 

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