The Twins Are Sending Louie Varland to the Bullpen, and It's the Right Move

Louie Varland’s potential as a pitcher is undeniable, but his optimal role within the Minnesota Twins’ roster is as a reliever rather than a starter. Now, he'll be able to fulfill that role with the team announcing Friday that he's officially moving to the bullpen.

This comes after his latest performance added to Varland's track record of fluctuations in performance, and wavering ability to maintain effectiveness across multiple innings.

He can help the Twins. But it' became all the more clear he wasn't going to do it in a starting role. Although it further thins out the team's starting depth, moving him to the late innings will allow Varland to be the best pitcher he can be.

His performance metrics, pitch selection, stamina concerns, and ability to handle high-pressure situations all suggest that his talents could be better utilized in relief. Starting pitching involves a deep array of pitches and the ability to adjust strategies as the game progresses. Varland has shown potential with a few compelling pitches, but his pitch selection has sometimes seemed less versatile than what is typically needed for a starter. Meanwhile, his stuff has clearly played down after one trip through the order.

Varland’s ability to perform under pressure has been notable, and his stuff tends to play up in shorter appearances. The bullpen role allows him to leverage his strengths in tight spots, a scenario where his competitive nature and sharpness could shine more brightly compared to the extended grind of a starting role. Varland absolutely has a phenomenal arm and has shown he knows how to use it, but his execution after more than three or four innings becomes disastrous. 

Over the course of his age-26 season, Varland has shuttled back and forth between Triple-A and the majors, showing occasional bursts of improvement that keep failing to sustain. The starts and stops of his season were perfectly showcased on Wednesday night versus the Tampa Bay Rays. Entering after the first, Varland started hot through two perfect innings innings, but was obliterated in the fourth inning, giving up eight runs before finally being relieved by pitcher Scott Blewett to close out the inning. The defense did not help Varland in that situation, however, it was another example of the right-hander running into rocky tides after initial smooth sailing.

By transitioning Varland to the bullpen, the team can utilize his skills in a role where he will have a more immediate impact. Additionally, this move allows the Twins to balance their rotation while maximizing Varland’s effectiveness in shorter, high-stakes situations.

Wednesday's game was a microcosm of what we saw last year, when Varland demonstrated a sharp contrast between two pitching roles.

Between April 2023 and June 2023, Varland started 10 games and posted a 5.30 ERA, striking out 54 and allowing 14 home runs in 56 innings. He went to Triple-A and returned in September as a starter, working his way into increasingly high-level spots, striking out 17 over 12 innings with a 1.50 ERA.

As we've seen, Varland can maximize his effectiveness in a bullpen role by focusing on his best pitches in high-leverage situations without needing a deep arsenal to navigate an entire lineup. The more he can go to this best pitches and avoid batters seeing any one pitch too much, the better off he'll be.

By focusing Varland on high-leverage relief appearances, the Twins can harness his strengths more effectively while also preserving his durability for the long term. As the team continues to refine its pitching strategy, embracing Varland’s role in the bullpen could be a savvy move that benefits both the pitcher and the team. 

What do you think? Are you excited to see Varland in the bullpen again? Do you think it's a switch that will (or should) stick permanently this time? Share your thoughts in the comments.