Minnesota Twins Pitcher of the Month: May 2026

The month of May was not kind to the Twins’ pitching staff. They allowed six or more runs in 12 of 28 games (including multiple 15-run nights) and were hit very hard by the injury bug. Taj Bradley missed a couple weeks, Cole Sands missed the entire month, and both Kendry Rojas and Bailey Ober were placed on the injured list over the weekend. Not to mention, Mick Abel is still hurt, and oh, Simeon Woods Richardson and Justin Topa were DFA’d. It’s been an eventful month, and not in a good way.

Still, there were some positives, too. There have been some younger names who have thrived with increased opportunity, and the reps they’ve been able to get could be big for the future of Minnesota’s pitching staff. Here’s a look at the top-performing pitchers from May for the Twins.   

4. Andrew Morris
May Stats: 11 G, 12 1/3 IP, 2.19 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 10 K, 6 BB, 2.91 FIP
The Twins’ bullpen as a whole gets a lot of grief due to inconsistent play, but Morris was about as consistent as you could ask for in May. His month started with 3 2/3 scoreless innings after Joe Ryan’s early exit due to elbow soreness, and he finished as a reliable late-inning option. The underlying data shows he’s been elite when it comes to getting soft contact, which has been his calling card since entering the league. Morris has shown he can be used in multiple roles, and he should continue to be a staple of the Twins’ bullpen for the remainder of the year. 

3. Kendry Rojas
May Stats: 4 G, 12 1/3 IP, 1.46 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 14 K, 7 BB, 2.75 FIP
While his May ended on a sour note (an IL stint due to triceps inflammation), Rojas looked good in his four outings. While only one of those four came as the starting pitcher, he thrived in a long reliever/spot starter role. His arsenal, led by his fastball-slider combo, has generated a ton of whiffs, and he did a much better job of pounding the strike zone. For now, it remains unclear just how long he’ll be sidelined. He was set to be cleared to begin throwing again by Twins doctors Monday night, and Jeremy Zoll indicated that the ramp-up should be quick, given the short time that he was shut down. The month of May left a lot to be excited about for Kendry Rojas.

2. Yoendrys Gómez
May Stats: 12 G, 10.1 IP, 0.87 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 13 K, 4 BB, 2.30 FIP
After being acquired from the Rays on May 6, Gómez has quickly emerged as a reliable late-inning option out of the Twins’ bullpen. He’s limited baserunners, and his May stats benefited as a result. While the underlying numbers would suggest he’s been better than he should be, games are won and lost on the field, not in tables or spreadsheets. Derek Shelton clearly trusts him, as he’s logged a pair of saves since his arrival. Gómez should continue to be a late-inning reliever for the Twins. 

Twins Pitcher of the Month: Joe Ryan
May Stats: 5 G, 26 IP, 1.73 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 31 K, 5 BB, 2.11 FIP
Ryan’s May started with an immediate injury scare. But after being removed after just nine pitches on May 3, he looked every bit like an ace. All of Ryan’s starts after the early removal were quality, and he didn’t allow more than two earned runs in any of them. That length has been especially crucial over the last couple of weeks, since the Twins haven’t had an off day since May 21 and won’t for another week. 

Ryan’s dominance is especially interesting when you consider that he’s throwing his best pitch (his four-seam) about 10% less than he did at the start of the season. But that decline in usage has increased his whiff rate and has made that four-seam (along with the rest of his arsenal) more effective. As long as he’s healthy, Ryan will be the Twins’ #1 pitcher. But given his performance this year, how long he’ll be a Twin might be the bigger question. 

While the non-Ryan rotation options struggled in May, there are still some encouraging takeaways from the last month. Morris, Rojas, and Gómez are all young, promising arms that flashed and can serve multiple roles if needed. 

Injuries have done serious damage to the starting rotation over the last month, but we’ve already seen what that unit is capable of earlier in the season. It’s easier said than done, but a little more consistency (and health), mixed with further development from the bullpen, could lead to a promising pitching staff for the next few months and beyond.