The Twins announced they’ve acquired reliever Justin Lawrence from the Pirates for cash. Pittsburgh designated the right-hander for assignment last week. Minnesota already had an opening on the 40-man roster and doesn’t need to make a corresponding move tonight.
Lawrence is out of minor league options, so the Twins will need to add him to the MLB roster. They’ll need to demote a pitcher once he reports to the team. Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda and Yoendrys Gómez are Minnesota’s three in-house relievers who can’t be optioned.
It’s the latest dart throw for a patchwork Minnesota bullpen. Twins relievers are 25th in ERA and 29th in strikeout rate (above only the Nationals). They also had one of the highest walk rates in May. That was expected given the personnel, as the Twins have done very little to replace the various relievers they shipped out at last year’s deadline.
Lawrence is a 31-year-old sinkerballer who carries a 5.32 earned run average across 22 innings this season. He has a league average 23.6% strikeout rate against an elevated 11.3% walk percentage. Lawrence sits in the mid-90s with his fastball and has a swing-and-miss breaking ball. He has been held back by below-average command and missed the bulk of the 2025 season due to elbow inflammation.
Minnesota assumes the approximate $800K remaining on Lawrence’s $1.225MM arbitration salary. He’d be under club control for another two seasons if he pitches well enough to hold his roster spot.
Addition by subtraction (even though he was already off the team)
And people say trades don’t happen on June 1st.
Twins front office has alienated even the most diehard of us fans of late. They’ve been playing with 38 guys on their 40 man roster and arguably 23 guys on their 26 man roster for the better part of a week. (Injured Buxton, Jackson & Outman)
Starting a veteran SS at 1B & a utility infielder with limited range in CF.
Multiple capable players at Triple A who would likely give you more than what the MLB team has been able to muster. Very disappointing to say the least – and telling to have a night that is 75 and sunny & get about 8,000 people to show up to the game.
Who cares how many people are on the 40 man roster?
Not filling your 40 man implies you’re more concerned about burning options than you are about giving the best players opportunities
From what I seen this weekend, that is a strange group of players for sure. Shelton always gets dealt a bad hand. I thought Clemens was a 1b/DH and he’s in center? Granted he does have a good bat. No idea who the shortstop is. A lot of random players and a gruesome bullpen. I wish you luck. Reminds me of the Pirates teams from seasons past.
Reunite with Shelton, both equally poor.
May the odds ever be in your favor JLaw
Is cash related to Cash Considerations?
Hopefully he pitches like he did with Shelton as manager sure it was a small sample but his ERA was great last year. Yoendrys Gomez has been a great bullpen pickup for us maybe we can unlock something in this waiver type pickup.
Him and Bowman seem like the same pitcher
Only difference is Bowman doesn’t have a career ERA of 5+