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The Minnesota Twins have initiated their offseason roster restructuring with the departures of left-handed reliever Anthony Banda and infielders Aaron Sabato and Tristan Gray from the 40-man roster. All three players are now free agents.
Banda's removal was somewhat anticipated given his inconsistent performance, which culminated in a 5.03 xFIP—the highest among all relievers who logged at least 30 innings. Additionally, Banda suffered a left lat strain that required surgery on July 9, ending his 2026 season prematurely.
Gray, 30, posted -0.7 bWAR over 66 games, hitting four home runs and driving in 29 runs, making his release a straightforward decision. Sabato, meanwhile, received only six at-bats, going 0-for-6 with three strikeouts.
With Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan expected to return to the rotation at the start of next season, a couple of starters will transition to the bullpen. The question now is what moves the Twins will make next.
Banda's departure creates an opening, and one possibility is bringing back Taylor Rogers, who is also a free agent. Rogers led Minnesota's bullpen with 65 relief appearances and recorded a 4.33 ERA along with a 5.18 xFIP—the second-highest in the group behind only Banda. Despite these numbers, Rogers remains effective against left-handed hitters. Although not a strikeout artist, he finished in the 98th percentile in Hard Hit% and reduced his inherited runners scored percentage from 56.2% in 2025 to 29.7% in 2026.
However, the Twins are looking to optimize their bullpen, and A.J. Minter has proven to be more consistent and could offer more depth than Rogers. Minter appeared in 25 games after joining Minnesota at the trade deadline, following a steady start with the New York Mets, and finished with a 2.78 ERA—the best in the bullpen over his 22 innings pitched.
Alongside Minter, Kody Funderburk would be the other left-handed option for the bullpen. His performance supports that possibility, as he allowed the second-lowest wOBA in 110 matchups against left-handed hitters (.273), behind only Minter (.246).
Key Analysis
Among external options, two arms stand out as ideal additions. First, left-hander Adrian Morejon would be an excellent acquisition to strengthen Minnesota's left-handed side, but he will be one of the most coveted relievers on the market. The other intriguing option is right-hander Raisel Iglesias, who could take over the closer's role even if Jeff Hoffman is ready to pitch on Opening Day next season. Of course, the possibility of finally acquiring Bryan Abreu cannot be ruled out. That move could also provide value, but Iglesias's proven experience could have a positive impact on this bullpen.