MRI Reveals Lower Back Inflammation For Joe Ryan
Right-hander Joe Ryan was scratched from his scheduled Spring Training start yesterday due to lower back tightness and underwent an MRI yesterday to determine the severity of the issue. Those results came back today, and The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reports that the MRI revealed only inflammation in Ryan’s lower back.
That’s a “best case scenario” for Ryan, in the words of Hayes. It should allow the right-hander to avoid a lengthy layoff and, while the Twins’ exact plans for Ryan as he nurses that inflammation aren’t yet clear, it seems reasonable to expect the right-hander’s ability to be available for Opening Day to be unaffected by this injury. That’s great news for the Twins, who have already lost right-hander Pablo Lopez to the injured list for the year as he prepares to undergo Tommy John surgery. Losing Lopez from the front of the team’s rotation was already a tough blow, but the loss of Ryan as well would’ve been devastating for Minnesota. Ryan figures to be joined in the rotation by Bailey Ober, with the final three spots left to some combination of youngsters Simeon Woods Richardson, Zebby Matthews, Taj Bradley, Mick Abel, and David Festa.
Ryan figures to be especially important to the Twins this year given that he’s coming off the best season of his career. An All-Star for the first time in 2025, the right-hander posted a 3.42 ERA in 171 innings of work. He made 30 starts (31 total appearances) and struck out an impressive 28.2% of his opponents while walking just 5.7%. Ryan was held back from true ace-level production by his lackluster 11.5% barrel rate; only five qualified pitchers allowed more home runs than the righty’s 26 last year. Even with that flaw, however, Ryan was a quality front-of-the-rotation starter who garnered plenty of interest at last summer’s trade deadline. While the Twins conducted a fire sale that saw them part ways with Carlos Correa, Harrison Bader, and nearly their entire bullpen, Ryan was one of the most notable pieces to remain in place.
The Twins once again entertained offers on him (plus other stars like Pablo Lopez and Byron Buxton) early in the offseason but eventually took those players off the market in December following Tom Pohlad’s ascension to the role of control person for the franchise. Pohlad, who mutually parted ways with team president Derek Falvey last month, is pushing for the club to contend in 2026 despite a roster that doesn’t look substantially different than the one that was among the worst teams in baseball after the trade deadline. There’s enough talent youngsters on the roster (including Luke Keaschall, Royce Lewis, and Brooks Lee) that it’s not impossible to imagine the team taking a step forward this year, but if the team fails to do so Ryan could once again find himself in trade conversations this summer should he remain healthy.
In the shorter term, it remains to be seen what Ryan’s inflammation will mean for his anticipated participation in the World Baseball Classic. Ryan was announced as part of the Team USA roster for the WBC, but it’s possible he’ll be forced to sit out the tournament due to the injury even in spite of its mild nature. Players around the league have been denied insurance ahead of the WBC, causing issues for all sorts of teams as they prepare for the event. That’s led to additional caution around rostering players who would otherwise seem like safe bets to roster for the tournament, and it’s unclear what impact (if any) that could have on Ryan’s participation at this point. The good news for Team USA is that their group of rotation options remains stacked even if Ryan is unable to participate; Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal headline a group of starters that also includes Logan Webb, top Mets prospect Nolan McLean, and veteran southpaw Matthew Boyd.
Joe Ryan Scratched From Start, Undergoing MRI
Twins ace Joe Ryan was a late scratch from his planned start in today’s Grapefruit League game with the Red Sox. As per a pair of announcements from the Twins, Ryan is dealing with lower back tightness on his right side, and is undergoing an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.
More will be known once the tests are complete, and it is entirely possible this just a case of early-camp soreness as Ryan starts to ramp up his throwing progression. Still, Ryan’s back issue merits some obvious concern given that Pablo Lopez‘s 2026 season is already a wash due to a Tommy John surgery. Losing Lopez was a huge blow to a Minnesota team that looked like a fringe contender at best, and if Ryan is now sidelined with any sort of notable injury, the Twins’ season might be ruined before it even gets underway.
Beyond the impact on the Twins, Ryan is slated to be part of the United States’ roster during the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Even if the back problem ends up being relatively minor, the Twins might well pull Ryan out of the WBC as a pure precaution, and if he needs to make up for any lost innings in Spring Training.
Ryan is coming off the first All-Star season of his career, as the right-hander posted a 3.42 ERA, 28.2% strikeout rate, and 5.7% walk rate across 171 innings. While Ryan has a penchant for allowing hard contact and is a little homer-prone, his numbers over the last four seasons (3.78 ERA, 5.7% walk rate, 27.5K% over 614 2/3 IP) have established him as a front-of-the-rotation arm. Ryan has been relatively durable over that four-year span with the Twins, apart from a teres major strain that ended his 2024 season in August.
There has been plenty of trade speculation surrounding Ryan over the last year, but the Twins held onto Ryan amidst their large-scale selloff at last summer’s trade deadline. Ryan isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2027 season, so these two years of inexpensive arbitration control make him a particular bargain for the budget-conscious Twins. If Minnesota is out of contention again at this year’s deadline, expect the trade rumors to again swirl around Ryan, assuming he’s healthy and still in good form.
Pablo López Diagnosed With UCL Tear
The Twins received brutal injury news this morning, as right-hander Pablo López has been diagnosed with tearing in his right elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament, general manager Jeremy Zoll announced to reporters (via Dan Hayes of The Athletic). He’s going for a second opinion, but season-ending surgery is on the table for López.
López felt some elbow discomfort following a recent bullpen session. The Twins sent him for imaging but framed that as a precautionary measure. The situation has obviously taken a dramatic turn for the worse. The vast majority of UCL tears require surgical repair, whether it’s an internal brace to repair/strengthen the existing ligament or a full reconstruction (“Tommy John”) procedure. Either situation would end López’s season before it begins.
The 29-year-old López missed considerable time with injury in 2025, making it into only 14 games and pitching 75 2/3 innings. A Grade 2 strain of López’s teres major muscle was the primary issue, but he finished the 2025 campaign on the shelf due to a forearm strain. He was excellent when on the field, working to a 2.74 ERA with a 23.4% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate in 75 2/3 frames.
Now-former president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said early in the offseason that López could have kept pitching through what the team described as a mild forearm strain had the club been in postseason contention. The veteran righty, who’ll be 30 early next month, had a normal offseason. It seems the UCL tear is a new injury that popped up in camp (although even if there was a quiet inkling of a UCL issue late last season, the timing would remain largely unchanged; López would’ve been expected to miss the 2026 season regardless).
López’s injury is a gut-punch to an already thin Twins roster. Starting pitching depth is an organizational strength, but many of the options in camp are well-regarded young hurlers who’ve not yet established themselves in the big leagues. The López injury puts righty Joe Ryan in line as Minnesota’s Opening Day starter. He’ll be followed by bounceback hopeful Bailey Ober (who was hobbled by a hip injury last year) and out-of-options righty Simeon Woods Richardson — a former top prospect who had a nice 14-start finish to his 2025 season after being optioned earlier in the year.
The Twins are deep in rotation upside beyond that trio. Right-handers David Festa, Zebby Matthews, Taj Bradley (acquired at the deadline for Griffin Jax) and Mick Abel (acquired at the deadline for Jhoan Duran) ranked as top-100 prospects prior to their big league debuts. Left-hander Connor Prielipp is currently on a handful of top-100 lists himself. Righty Andrew Morris (the Twins’ fourth-rounder in 2022) and southpaw Kendry Rojas (the headliner in the Twins’ trade of Louis Varland) are both well-regarded arms who rank among the top 15 or so of the team’s prospects and aren’t terribly far from MLB readiness.
Any of those younger arms could step up as a contributor in one of the final two spots in Minnesota’s rotation, but it’s unlikely any of the bunch can replace what a healthy López would bring to the table. The right-hander has a solid 3.61 ERA over his past 141 major league starts (795 innings) and has fanned 26% of opponents against a 6.3% walk rate in that time. López’s blend of plus strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates with the Twins has led to slightly better marks from metrics like SIERA (3.41) and FIP (3.44). The 2023 All-Star hasn’t put everything together for a truly dominant ace-caliber season yet, but most fans and pundits believed him to be capable of doing so; he finished seventh in AL Cy Young voting during that ’23 campaign.
The Twins signed López to a four-year, $73.5MM extension shortly after acquiring him. That deal covered the 2024-27 seasons. López is signed for 2026 and 2027 at $21.75MM apiece, making him the highest-paid player on a stripped-down Twins roster that traded 11 players at last year’s deadline and has only made modest (at best) additions to the roster this winter. The Twins have signed Josh Bell, Victor Caratini and Taylor Rogers to big league deals and also added relievers Anthony Banda and Eric Orze via trade. They have a long list of recognizable veterans in camp on non-roster deals: Gio Urshela, Orlando Arcia, Andrew Chafin, Liam Hendriks, Dan Altavilla, Matt Bowman and Julian Merryweather.
Newly installed executive chair Tom Pohlad, who took over for his younger brother Joe earlier in the winter, has recently spoken openly about the Twins’ ability to further add to the payroll. He recently confirmed to The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman that his club took a late run at Framber Valdez after the lefty lingered on the market and put forth a multi-year offer that was outbid by the division-favorite Tigers.
That certainly doesn’t mean the Twins will go out and make an external addition, but there are still some options if they hope to do so. Right-handers Lucas Giolito and former Twin Zack Littell are among the more notable names who do not yet have a home for the upcoming 2026 season. The Twins are deep in lefty-swinging outfielders and could try to strike up a deal with an Astros club that has long been trying to acquire just that, and there’s a handful of other veteran starters whose names have at least loosely surfaced in trade chatter throughout the winter (e.g. Brady Singer, Patrick Sandoval).
It’s not clear how high the newest Pohlad family member holding the executive chair position is willing to bump the team’s payroll, but the late run at Valdez at least suggests some openness. That should only be natural, however, as the Twins’ payroll is down more than $30MM from last season and more than $50MM from its 2023 peak, when they approached $160MM. There ought to be room to add someone like Giolito, Littell, Sandoval, etc. without breaking the bank. If the team doesn’t stay afloat in the standings through the first few months, that player could be marketed ahead of the trade deadline alongside other veteran trade options.
Pablo López Headed For Imaging With Elbow Soreness
The Twins are sending starter Pablo López for an MRI after he experienced elbow soreness during a live batting practice session this morning (links via Dan Hayes of The Athletic and Matthew Leach of MLB.com). The righty had thrown two innings in a workout before experiencing the discomfort in what would have been his third frame.
To this point, the Twins are framing the situation as precautionary. There’s certainly no reason for López to pitch through any kind of discomfort in the middle of February. It nevertheless comes as a concern any time a pitcher experiences elbow discomfort. That’s particularly true in López’s case, as he’s coming off a season that was cut short by a pair of arm injuries.
López suffered a Grade 2 teres major strain in his shoulder last June. He missed three months. The veteran was able to get back on the mound in early September, hoping to build positive momentum going into the offseason. That was not to be, as he experienced forearm soreness that shut him down for the year after three September starts. His velocity in those appearances was back to where it had been before the shoulder injury. The forearm soreness could have been a residual effect of the layoff. The Twins didn’t seem especially concerned, announcing in early November that he would not have any restrictions over the offseason.
Minnesota also took López (and essentially all their other veteran players) off the trade market. They’d been very aggressive deadline sellers but are going into the season with expectations to compete for a playoff spot. It remains to be seen if that’s wishful thinking, but new ownership control person Tom Pohlad has said repeatedly over the past few weeks that he believes this roster capable of contending. Any optimism is built largely around the rotation, which could have an excellent one-two punch with López and Joe Ryan. If the former misses any time, an already uphill path to a playoff spot becomes more difficult.
The Twins have a decent amount of upside in the starting staff. Simeon Woods Richardson, Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, Mick Abel, Zebby Matthews and David Festa are all in the mix for rotation spots. Prospects Kendry Rojas, Connor Prielipp and Andrew Morris probably need more time at Triple-A but are on the 40-man roster. Any of them could factor in at some point this year. There’s reason for optimism with everyone in that group, but all of those pitchers who have logged MLB time have had their share of ups and downs. They’ll also probably need some of these pitchers to factor into a patchwork bullpen if they’re to put together a contending pitching staff.
López has a Tommy John surgery in his history, undergoing the procedure when he was an 18-year-old prospect back in 2014. He’d been very durable for most of his MLB career. A rotator cuff injury cost him a couple months in 2021, but he didn’t miss a start in any of the next three seasons. He was limited to 14 outings last year but was as effective as ever on a rate basis. López turned in a 2.74 ERA with a 23.4% strikeout rate over 75 2/3 innings.
Twins Sign Andrew Chafin To Minor League Contract
11:55AM: Chafin will earn $2MM if he makes the Twins’ active roster, according to SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson. Chafin’s contract also has another $1.25MM available in bonus money.
7:05AM: The Twins signed left-hander Andrew Chafin to a minor league deal, according to multiple team beat writers. Chafin’s contract includes an invitation to attend Minnesota’s big league Spring Training camp.
As Chafin prepares for his 13th Major League season, the Twins will become the ninth team the southpaw has pitched for at the MLB level if Chafin can win a spot on the active roster. The 35-year-old added two more clubs to his list by appearing for the Nationals and Angels in 2025, posting a 2.41 ERA and a solid 25.2% strikeout rate over 33 2/3 innings, but also with a 13.3% walk rate.
Between the inflated walk rate and an 81.9% strand rate, Chafin’s SIERA was 4.11 — far higher than his real-world ERA. Most of his other underlying metrics were quite good, though Chafin’s biggest issue last season was staying healthy. He had a pair of stints on the injured list due to a right hamstring strain and then left triceps inflammation, resulting in a little over five weeks’ worth of missed time.
This is the second straight winter that Chafin has had to settle for a minor league deal, as he also inked a non-guaranteed contract with the Tigers last February. He opted out of that deal at the end of April and quickly landed a MLB contract with Washington, then pitched in 26 games for the Nats before the Angels acquired Chafin at the trade deadline.
Chafin’s lack of control continues to be a concern and his strikeout rate dropped from 28.5% in 2024, though his other numbers suggest he still has something left in the tank even at this later stage in his career. Chafin is the latest relief addition for a Twins team that has brought Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda, and Eric Orze into the fold, not to mention a long list of NRIs with experience on big league pitching staffs. Rogers, Banda, and Kody Funderburk are all left-handers, so Chafin provides some more depth in that area as well.
Twins, Cody Laweryson Agree To Minor League Deal
The Twins brought back reliever Cody Laweryson after he was released by the Angels last week. Matthew Leach of MLB.com first noted that the right-hander had a locker in Minnesota’s Spring Training complex. Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star-Tribune confirms the sides have a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp.
Laweryson returns to the only organization he’d known until November. Minnesota selected him in the 14th round in 2019 out of the University of Maine. They called him up for the first time last September. The 6’4″ righty made five appearances, allowing two runs (one earned) across 7 2/3 innings. He struck out seven without issuing a walk. Laweryson also pitched well in Triple-A, turning in a 2.86 earned run average while striking out a quarter of opposing hitters.
The 27-year-old (28 in May) has a strong statistical track record. Laweryson owns a 3.39 ERA with a 27% strikeout percentage over 327 minor league innings. Teams evidently remain skeptical about how it’ll translate over a larger sample against big league hitters. Laweryson’s 93.2 mph average fastball isn’t especially imposing. He doesn’t have a power breaking ball either, sitting 85-86 mph with a cutter while mixing in a low-80s changeup.
Minnesota dropped him from the 40-man roster at the beginning of the offseason despite having one of the league’s weakest bullpens. The Halos claimed him but cut him loose to make room on the roster when they re-signed Yoán Moncada. The Twins also have former big leaguers Liam Hendriks, Julian Merryweather, Dan Altavilla, Matt Bowman and Grant Hartwig battling for spots in a wide open middle relief group.
Dodgers Trade Anthony Banda To Twins
1:17pm: The Twins sent $500K of pool space to the Dodgers in the deal, per Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com. (International pool space must be traded in $250K increments.) For clarity’s sake, no actual money exchanged hands; rather, the Twins shrunk their league-allotted spending limit by $500K, while the Dodgers’ limit correspondingly increases by $500K.
12:27pm: The Twins have acquired veteran left-hander Anthony Banda from the Dodgers, per announcements from both clubs. Minnesota is sending international bonus space back to L.A. in return. Banda had been designated for assignment by the Dodgers last week. Righty Jackson Kowar has been designated for assignment to open a 40-man spot for Banda.
The Dodgers originally acquired Banda, now 32, in a cash deal early in the 2024 season. He quickly emerged as a quality bullpen option for them and spent the next season-plus as a frequently used southpaw for manager Dave Roberts. From 2024-25 in L.A., Banda logged a tidy 3.14 ERA with a 23.3% strikeout rate, 10.9% walk rate and 41.6% ground-ball rate. He averaged 96 mph on both his four-seamer and sinker while recording a 13.2% swinging-strike rate that suggests he could have a few more punchouts in the tank. Banda tallied 19 holds and two saves in 114 2/3 innings as a Dodger.
Banda’s 2025 season, however, wasn’t as sharp as his 2024 campaign. He lost a percentage point off his strikeout rate while his walk rate climbed by four points, from 8.6% to 12.7%. He still notched a 3.18 ERA in a career-high 65 innings, but his rate stats understandably gave the Dodgers some cause for concern.
The discrepancy between the bullpens in Los Angeles and Minnesota is underscored by the fact that this trade came together. The Dodgers deemed Banda expendable and jettisoned him and his $1.625MM salary. The Twins, meanwhile, traded some actual value to acquire him and will now count him among the most reliable arms in a bullpen that was torn all the way down at last year’s trade deadline. Minnesota traded five relievers — Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, Brock Stewart and Danny Coulombe — dismantling what had been one of the league’s top relief units in order to scale back payroll and bring in some more controllable and affordable young talent in the process.
Where Banda was near the bottom of the pecking order in the L.A. bullpen, he now figures to be an option in high-leverage spots. That’s all the more true given his familiarity with new Twins skipper Derek Shelton, who managed Banda as a member of the Pirates back in 2021-22.
If Banda pans out in Minnesota, he can provide value to the Twins for multiple seasons. He currently has 4.135 years of MLB service, meaning he’ll be controllable through the 2027 season. He’ll be eligible for a raise in arbitration next winter, but his modest $1.625MM salary for the 2026 season means he won’t break the bank regardless of how well he pitches in what’ll be his debut campaign for Minnesota.
Banda joins the re-signed Taylor Rogers, Justin Topa and Cole Sands as the only members of the Twins’ bullpen with even three years of major league experience. The Twins also picked up righty Eric Orze in a small trade with the Rays early in the winter, and they got good work out of southpaw Kody Funderburk following that July fire sale in the bullpen (0.75 ERA, 28-to-10 K/BB ratio in 24 innings).
Veterans Liam Hendriks and Julian Merryweather joined up on minor league deals just yesterday and could factor into the group, as could any young starters who don’t crack a relatively crowded rotation picture. Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and out-of-options Simeon Woods Richardson all seem like rotation locks, health permitting. Former top prospects Taj Bradley, David Festa, Zebby Matthews and Mick Abel are among the candidates who’ll vie for the fifth spot (and possibly the fourth, if Woods Richardson is outpitched and heads to the bullpen himself).
Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll has been on the lookout for bullpen help throughout camp, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him further add to a perilously thin group of relievers in the days or weeks to come.
Kowar, 29, was claimed off waivers from the Mariners just eight days ago. The former first-round pick and top prospect has been derailed by injuries in his career but sits in the upper 90s with his four-seamer and sinker. He’s shown the ability to miss bats at times but struggles with sub-par command and too much hard contact allowed.
In parts of four MLB seasons (91 innings) between the Royals (his original club) and Mariners, the former Florida Gators star has been rocked for an 8.21 ERA. He posted a more palatable 4.24 ERA in 17 innings with Seattle last year, however, and notched a sharp 2.81 ERA in an additional 16 innings of Triple-A ball.
Kowar is out of minor league options. The Twins will hope to pass him through waivers and retain him as bullpen depth who’d be invited to big league camp and potentially stashed in the upper minors. If another club claims him, Kowar would need to stick on that team’s 40-man roster or else once again be exposed to waivers. The Twins can trade Kowar or place him on waivers at any point in the next five days. Waivers are a 48-hour process, so within a week’s time, we’ll know the outcome of Kowar’s DFA.
Dan Hayes of The Athletic first reported the trade and the Kowar DFA.
Twins To Sign Julian Merryweather To Minor League Deal
The Twins are bringing in reliever Julian Merryweather on a minor league contract, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The client of Warner Sports Management will be in camp as a non-roster invitee. Minnesota also agreed to a minor league deal with Liam Hendriks this evening.
Merryweather made 21 appearances for the Cubs last season. He was hit hard, surrendering 13 runs (12 earned) across 18 2/3 innings. Merryweather struck out 15 while issuing 11 walks. Chicago released him at the end of May. Merryweather finished the season on successive minor league contracts with the Mets and Brewers. He didn’t find much more success in Triple-A, where he was tagged for a 5.87 ERA across 23 innings.
The 34-year-old righty has pitched parts of six MLB seasons between the Blue Jays and Cubs. He had one above-average season, firing 72 frames of 3.38 ERA ball in 2023. The past two years have been a struggle, and he holds a 4.72 mark over 158 1/3 career innings. Merryweather has a 96 mph fastball with a good slider but has never had strong command. He’s also battled various injuries, including 2018 Tommy John surgery and oblique/abdominal issues in 2020 and ’22, respectively.
As was the case for Hendriks, it’s easy to see the appeal for Merryweather in signing with Minnesota. There’s a strong opportunity for non-roster bullpen arms. Minnesota has a patchwork bullpen that probably only has four locks: Taylor Rogers, Justin Topa, Cole Sands and Kody Funderburk. Trade pickup Eric Orze should enter camp with a good chance to win a job. Jackson Kowar is out of options and needs to make the team or be designated for assignment. Kowar has a career 8.21 ERA, while everyone else aside from Rogers and Topa have a minor league option remaining. Dan Altavilla, Matt Bowman and Grant Hartwig are also in camp as non-roster invitees.
Twins, Liam Hendriks Agree To Minor League Deal
The Twins have an agreement to bring veteran reliever Liam Hendriks back to Minnesota, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. It’s a minor league deal with an invite to MLB camp for the client of ALIGND Sports Agency, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post.
It’s a homecoming for Hendriks, who signed with the Twins as an amateur out of Australia and made his MLB debut at Target Field in September 2011. Hendriks spent parts of three seasons with the club, struggling to a 6.06 ERA in 30 appearances (28 starts). The Twins designated him for assignment over the 2013-14 offseason and lost him on waivers.
Hendriks bounced around the league for a few years before a full-time move to the bullpen and accompanying velocity spike took him to a much higher level. The righty broke out as an elite closer in Oakland and continued on that pace after signing a four-year free agent deal with the White Sox. He earned three All-Star nods, finished top 10 in Cy Young balloting in consecutive seasons (2020-21) and led the American League in saves.
The past couple seasons have been far more challenging. Hendriks famously was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the 2022-23 winter, though he quickly beat the disease. His return to the field was unfortunately cut short by an elbow injury. Hendriks underwent Tommy John surgery and has barely pitched over the last three seasons split between Chicago and Boston. He missed all of ’24 and was limited to 14 MLB appearances last year by a series of setbacks.
Elbow inflammation shelved him early in the year. He landed on the injured list at the end of May with an abdominal strain. Hendriks attempted to ramp up in September but felt renewed forearm discomfort and underwent ulnar surgery that ended his season. The Red Sox bought him out after just 13 2/3 innings of 11-run ball.
Although he settled for a minor league contract, Hendriks has a good chance to make the team. Minnesota has a patchwork bullpen that probably only has four locks: Taylor Rogers, Justin Topa, Cole Sands and Kody Funderburk. Trade pickup Eric Orze should enter camp with a good chance to win a job, while Jackson Kowar is out of options and needs to make the team or be designated for assignment. Kowar has a career 8.21 ERA, while everyone else aside from Rogers and Topa have a minor league option remaining.
As a player with six years of service time who finished last season on Boston’s major league roster, Hendriks hit the market as an Article XX(b) free agent. That means this deal comes with a trio of automatic opt-out dates under the collective bargaining agreement. He can trigger an out clause five days before Opening Day, on May 1, or on June 1. If he does, the Twins would have two days to either promote him or grant him his release.
Twins, Gio Urshela Agree To Minor League Deal
The Twins are bringing back old friend Gio Urshela on a minor league deal, reports Daniel Alvarez Montes of El Extra Base. Urshela, a client of Premier Talent Sports, will be in camp as non-roster invitee and compete for a spot in a crowded infield mix.
Urshela spent the 2022 season in Minnesota after coming over alongside Gary Sánchez in the trade that saw the Twins dump Josh Donaldson‘s contract on the Yankees. He enjoyed one of his best seasons with the Twins, hitting .285/.338/.429 (118 wRC+) with 13 home runs, 27 doubles and three triples. It proved to be just a one-year pairing, however, as the Twins flipped Urshela to the Angels that offseason (receiving minor league pitcher Alejandro Hidalgo) in order to open some playing time for their bevy of young infielders.
It’s been a rocky ride for the now-34-year-old Urshela since leaving Minnesota. He hit for a high average but with no power in two months with the Angels (.299/.329/.374) before suffering a fracture in his pelvis that required season-ending surgery. In parts of two seasons since that uncommon injury, he’s batted .246/.287/.351 (77 wRC+) in 658 trips to the batter’s box.
Now back with the Twins, Urshela provides some depth around an infield that’s full of question marks. Third baseman Royce Lewis has flashed superstar potential at various points in his career, but the former No. 1 overall draft pick has been beset by injuries and is coming off an ugly .237/.283/.388 showing in a career-high 403 plate appearances.
That’s the primary spot at which Urshela could hope to factor in. He has experience at shortstop, first base and second base as well, but it’s hard to imagine him returning to short for any meaningful amount of time at age 34 and with that pelvic injury now in his history. He logged two games at first base for the A’s in 2025 and would, at best, be fourth on the depth chart there for the Twins. Urshela has only 28 career innings at second base — five of them coming in 2023 and the other 23 coming way back in 2017.
There’s little harm bringing back a well-liked veteran for the Twins, but Urshela appears to face an uphill battle to grab a roster spot. He doesn’t have the defensive versatility he once did, and his bat has never gotten back on track following that 2023 injury. Still, given the frequency with which Lewis has been injured, there’s some sense in stashing a respected veteran backup.