Roster News: 3 Twins Clear Waivers, Will Become Free Agents

Anthony Banda, Tristan Gray and Aaron Sabato each cleared waivers and were outrighted to the minor leagues Thursday, the Twins announced. They will each elect free agency or be released, as the MLB offseason begins. It's a slightly sad ending to the tenures of each player, but not unexpected in any of the three cases.

Banda, 33, had a 4.46 ERA in 39 appearances for the Twins, after the team acquired him from the Los Angeles Dodgers in February. An emergency patch for a neglected bullpen, Banda initially struggled to get his feet under him in Minnesota, but by mid-season, he'd become an important part of the team's relief corps. Alas, he suffered a lat injury and underwent season-ending surgery in early July, and his prognosis for a return to the mound is muddy enough that the Twins felt it best to move on. He had been on the 60-day injured list at the end of the year and would have had to be added back to the 40-man roster in order to be retained. He had one more year of arbitration eligibility remaining, but given the likelihood that he'll miss at least the early stages of the 2027 season, giving him a spot on the crowded reserve list over the winter was not worth the team's prospective investment.

Out of necessity and desperation, the Twins turned to Gray for a fistful of starts at shortstop this season. He never rewarded their faith, though. His bat speed went to waste due to poor swing decisions, and although he came to the team with a sterling defensive reputation, his glovework at short was little better than that of Brooks Lee. The lefty batter is 30 years old, and though he has (theoretically) five years of club control remaining and would not have been arbitration-eligible this winter, he's out of options and can't be sent to the minors without being outrighted. That made him too inflexible a piece for a team that hopes to aim higher on the bench in 2027, particularly after the matriculation of Kaelen Culpepper.

Being optionable wasn't a problem for Sabato, who was just added to the 40-man roster upon his September promotion to the major leagues. However, the former first-round pick long ago ceased to be viewed as a legitimate prospect, and giving him a cup of big-league coffee was a courtesy, not a commitment. He failed to record a hit in his six plate appearances and was the easiest cut to see coming on the team's roster, as they declutter and prepare for an active offseason.

The team will have to do more roster-clearing in coming days and weeks, but this early pruning adds some clarity to their upcoming search for bullpen help and their still-fluid infield picture.

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