Three Bullpen X Factors for the Stretch Run

The Twins bullpen hasn’t been the strength we hoped it would be coming into the season, with some underperformance mixed with injuries. Now that the trade deadline has passed, they’re left with what they have. While filling a Brock Stewart-sized hole late in games may be impossible, several internal options could improve their game and help the Twins to the finish line.

Caleb Thielbar
Thielbar looked like he was on the edge of losing his roster spot at one point this season, as even in a bullpen devoid of left-handed options, he’s looked like age has caught up to him at times. For a roster desperate for a guy to use in left-handed matchups, at the very least, Thielbar stepping up would be huge.

Hopefully, his recent stretch will be a sign of things to come. It may be hard to regain trust against the 37-year-old southpaw fully, but Thielbar wasn’t just a lefty specialist at his best. If he can continue to reign in his numbers against right-handed hitters, even just a bit, the Twins bullpen would be in a much better place.

Cole Sands
Sands has taken a significant step forward in 2024 and looks like a core piece of the bullpen for the next few years. He’s posted career bests in strikeout, walk, and home run rates, which is pretty much all you need to do to succeed as a pitcher. With such a great season already, how can Sands elevate the Twins bullpen even further?

For Sands, it has less to do with improving his performance and more with how he’s used. While he’s filled a wide range of roles this season, we may see more of him in high leverage moving forward. He should slot in behind Alcala, Jax, and Duran and will find himself pitching some big innings down the stretch. If he can continue to build on the breakout season he’s already posted, the Twins can still have the dominant back end of the bullpen we envisioned heading into the season.

Justin Topa
It’s easy to forget about Justin Topa, who was part of the Jorge Polanco trade, which has been a disaster for both teams involved. At one point, it appeared Topa would join Anthony DeSclefani as pieces of the Polanco return who wouldn’t play in 2024. After rehabbing his problematic knee, Topa is now approaching his Twins debut.

Topa is not a household name due to his limited action in the MLB, but he had a dominant 2023 with the Mariners. In 69 innings, he posted a 2.61 ERA as one of the better relievers in Seattle’s bullpen. At his best, he avoids walks and uses a heavy sinker to avoid hard contact, and it is a legitimate setup option if he is healthy. He’s shown he can be a dominant option late in games even though he lacks the gaudy strikeout numbers of someone like Brock Stewart, and he may be able to help fill his absence.

It’s hard to count on getting much from Brock Stewart down the stretch this season, and the Twins have to make do with the roster they already have. Are these three the best options to help fill the void? Could we see Chris Paddack or Louie Varland make the switch? Is there another arm that could help hold the bullpen together? Let us know below!