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Louis Varland might currently be second on the Twins' bullpen hierarchy, due in equal measure to Griffin Jax’s struggles and his own performance. Varland looks like the fire-breathing relief ace we all hoped for so far, and it’s opened a whole new world of possibilities for the Twins.
On Tuesday night, we saw the next step in Varland’s ascent. The maligned Jax pitched the 7th inning, with Varland left to bridge the 8th to Jhoan Duran, facing the heart of the opposing lineup. With a 1-2-3 inning, Varland continued with what had already been an impressive start to the season. He should now be considered one of their top relief arms. He may factor into that conversation for years to come.
Varland has struck out nearly one-third of opposing hitters so far this season. While his struggles with allowing hard contact haven’t completely vanished, he’s posted career bests in many metrics, like expected batting average and slugging percentage. His knuckle-curve has become a legitimate weapon, allowing just one hit so far and drawing a near 50% whiff rate as his second-most used offering. His fastball is averaging 98.1 mph and has been nearly unhittable.
Varland’s emergence gives the Twins a wealth of options at the back end of games. If Brock Stewart and Jax return to form (as already seems to be happening), they have four legitimate options to turn to in high-leverage situations. While both continue to get their footing to begin the season, one could argue that Varland has emerged as the second option in the bullpen, below only Duran. The Twins may currently be struggling to keep their heads above water, but if they have a season-saving comeback in them, the back end of this bullpen is likely to play a huge part.
Varland’s emergence affects more than just the effectiveness of the Twins' bullpen in 2025. There’s no sugarcoating how much damage the Twins have done to their playoff odds to begin the season. If their poor play continues, they’re sure to find themselves fielding more and more calls from opposing teams on back-end relievers. Varland rising through the ranks gives them more ability to entertain such calls.
This front office doesn’t believe in paying bullpen arms, and the team’s payroll and ownership are uncertain situations for the medium-term future. Continued struggles may create the perfect storm to part with at least one high-leverage reliever. Varland, being the youngest member of this group, is the most cost-controlled. The Twins may find themselves more comfortable parting with a more expensive relief arm, knowing that Varland is effective and under team control for years to come.
While it may be a disappointing season so far, 2025 hasn’t been without its bright spots. Varland is becoming the reliever we thought he could be, which is beneficial for the Twins, whether they fight back into contention or continue to flounder. He can be a valuable piece of a competitive Twins bullpen down the stretch, or allow the team to shop older relievers with their sights set on reinforcing the 2026 roster. While one reality is much more desirable than the other, it’s worth recognizing the doors Varland’s performance so far has opened.
Time will tell how, exactly, this development benefits the Twins, but it’s been one of the bright spots of a disappointing start to 2025.
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