Twins Bullpen Power Rankings: How Much Trade Deadline Help Does Minnesota Really Need?

The Minnesota Twins have made their trade deadline intentions crystal clear. General manager Jeremy Zoll told reporters before Tuesday's game that the club intends to improve the major-league roster before Monday's August 3 trade deadline, with bullpen help sitting at the top of the shopping list. 

That shouldn't come as much of a surprise. While Minnesota has fought its way back into contention, the relief corps remains the biggest obstacle between this team and a legitimate postseason push. There are a few relievers manager Derek Shelton can trust. After that, the confidence level drops off quickly.

If the Twins want this bullpen to become a strength instead of simply surviving games, they'll need to add multiple high-leverage relievers—not just another middle-inning option. Here's what the current hierarchy looks like, as the club ponders upgrades.

Tier 1: Yoendrys Gómez, Andrew Morris

Few waiver claims have changed the trajectory of a season like Yoendrys Gómez. He has quite literally saved Minnesota's bullpen. Shortly after arriving, Gómez took over the closer's role and never looked back. Credit goes to both Gómez and Minnesota's pitching coaches, who made subtle mechanical adjustments that unlocked another level. Since joining the Twins, Gómez owns a 1.78 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP, and is a perfect 13-for-13 in save opportunities.

Andrew Morris has been just as important. When Minnesota traded Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, and Louis Varland at last year's deadline, the organization believed it could rebuild the bullpen internally. Morris has become the poster child for that philosophy.

After transitioning from the rotation into a one-inning relief role, his stuff has played up dramatically. Over his last 19 appearances, Morris has surrendered just one earned run (a solo home run) while striking out 20 batters across 21 innings. He's quickly become one of the most dependable setup options in the American League.

Tier 2: Tommy Nance, Kendry Rojas, Travis Adams

This is where Minnesota's bullpen starts showing its biggest weakness. Tommy Nance has been perfectly serviceable since arriving from Toronto. His 23.8% strikeout rate, 10.1% walk rate, and 4.03 FIP paint the picture of a capable middle reliever. On many playoff-caliber clubs, he'd slot into the sixth or seventh inning.

For the Twins? He's arguably their third- or fourth-most trusted reliever. That's the problem. Nance isn't pitching above his ability. He's being asked to occupy a bigger role than a contender ideally wants.

Kendry Rojas remains one of the organization's most intriguing arms, but he's difficult to rank. The left-hander has bounced between spot starts, piggyback outings, and relief appearances as injuries have forced Minnesota to stay flexible. He's probably the club's most trusted left-handed reliever, but he isn't being used like one, because the organization still views him as a long-term starter candidate and an important source of legnth.

With Mike Paredes landing on the injured list, Rojas also represents the next logical rotation option. Until that changes, he'll stay at least partially stretched out, instead of becoming a traditional late-inning weapon.

Travis Adams has quietly climbed this list over the past month. His overall numbers remain inflated after allowing 14 earned runs in 10 appearances between May 27 and June 29, but July has looked much different. Adams has given up just two earned runs across 10 2/3 innings, while striking out eight and walking four.

Perhaps the most encouraging development has been his strikeout rate, which has climbed to 26.4%, nearly seven percentage points better than last season. The walks, however, remain elevated at 10.7%, leaving room for improvement before he can consistently handle high-leverage situations.

Tier 3: Taylor Rogers, Kody Funderburk, Jack Anderson

Taylor Rogers's return to Minnesota had a chance to be one of the better stories of the season. The veteran reunited with the organization that drafted and developed him, while also reaching the milestone of 10 years of major-league service time. Unfortunately, sentiment hasn't translated into production.

Rogers owns an ERA north of 5.00, and his strikeout rate has dropped more than eight percentage points below his career average. There are encouraging signs, though. He's allowed just one earned run over his last nine appearances, suggesting he may have a little gas left in the tank.

Kody Funderburk hasn't taken the step forward Minnesota hoped to see after his strong finish to 2025. Instead, he's spent much of the season shuttling between Triple-A and the majors. His strikeout rate has fallen from 21.9% to just 15.0%, while a matching 15.0% walk rate has created too many stressful innings. Since returning at the end of June, Funderburk has been more effective, posting a 3.65 ERA with 10 strikeouts and four walks across 12⅓ innings. It's progress, but not enough to erase the inconsistency.

Jack Anderson may be the bullpen's biggest unknown. Claimed off waivers from Boston, Anderson has quietly impressed during his brief stint with Minnesota. He's thrown 4 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out four. Earlier this season with the Red Sox, he posted respectable numbers over three appearances, giving the Twins enough reason to believe there's more upside to unlock. The sample size remains small, but Anderson has earned the opportunity to stick around.

What the Deadline Should Look Like

The biggest takeaway from these rankings isn't that Minnesota lacks quality relievers. It's that there aren't enough of them, and that shouldn’t be a surprise to Twins fans. Gómez and Morris have formed an excellent late-inning duo, but asking Nance to be one of your top setup options is asking too much from the current roster construction. In an ideal bullpen, Nance slides down a couple spots on the depth chart, while Rogers, Adams, Funderburk, and Anderson compete for lower-leverage innings.

That's why adding one reliever may not be enough. If the Twins are serious about making noise in October, they need to acquire multiple relievers who immediately rank ahead of Nance in the bullpen hierarchy. Doing so would transform the middle innings, deepen Shelton's options, and lessen the nightly workload on Gómez and Morris.

There's also another reinforcement on the horizon. As Connor Prielipp approaches his anticipated innings limit as a starter, the Twins could transition one of their top pitching prospects into a relief role late in the season. His power arsenal could make him an impact weapon out of the bullpen, much like Morris after his own move away from starting. Of course, if they go that route, they have to replace Prielipp in the rotation.

That possibility gives Minnesota another intriguing internal option. But with October aspirations on the line, the Twins can't afford to wait for internal solutions alone. The bullpen has improved dramatically since Opening Day, but the gap between Minnesota and the American League's elite contenders is still measured in late-inning arms. Jeremy Zoll knows it. Now, the trade deadline will reveal just how aggressively the Twins intend to close it.

Do you agree with the rankings above? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

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