That void that was felt without Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan in many of the moments when the Minnesota Twins needed a leader in the starting rotation, beyond the value Taj Bradley provided, was, to a certain extent, baffling. We saw the commitment of each of the guys, but if you don't have your two starting pitchers, it's difficult to get to October.
So, often, the bullpen had to carry a heavy load, a situation that should change once the rotation can stabilize. If that happens, pitchers with good potential such as Zebby Matthews (recorded 1.9 fWAR in 39 starts over the last two seasons), Connor Prielipp (0.9 fWAR in 22 starts during his 2026 debut) and Kendry Rojas (0.3 fWAR in four starts, also as a rookie in 2026) would move into a bullpen role and become very good options in case of any situation involving the starting pitching staff.
Therefore, Minnesota will face important decisions about building its bullpen, as left-handers Taylor Rogers and A.J. Minter will become free agents at the end of the season. With Kody Funderburk and Anthony Banda, the Twins have good depth among left-handed pitchers, but keeping Rogers or Minter would undoubtedly increase the bullpen's options.
Funderburk remains one of the most consistent arms and leads the left-handed group with 0.8 fWAR in 97 appearances over the last two campaigns. During that span, he also has the best xERA at 3.71, the highest ground-ball rate allowed (53.9%) and the lowest HR/FB rate (6.9%) in 92 innings.
Banda also spent time on the injured list in 2026, but he has pitched in 109 games over the last two seasons and has the second-lowest BABIP allowed (.250), along with a 3.85 xERA.
Minnesota Twins relief pitcher A.J. Minter (33). Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
That is the decision facing Minnesota, and I don't think it should be difficult to make. Throughout his career, Minter has been a more dominant and stable reliever than Rogers, who continues to have control problems and just finished the 2026 season in the 4th percentile in Chase%, the 6th in whiff% and the 28th in strikeouts.
Still, credit must be given to his 98th-percentile Hard-Hit% rating, but his average of 48 over the last five seasons still raises questions about whether he can continue to sustain that value. In contrast, Minter is a consistent veteran who can offer more stability with his ability to handle high-pressure situations.
Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Taylor Rogers (55). Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Over his last two seasons, he has left the league with a .243 BABIP in 61 relief appearances, a rate of just 2.06 BB/9 and a 3.91 xFIP, the best among all the left-handers included in this comparison. In addition, Minter brings out his best version in high-leverage situations, lowering his xFIP to 2.83 without walking a single batter in the 19 situations he faced during 2026, exactly what the Twins need to avoid letting leads slip away late in games.
With Funderburk, Banda, and Minter, Cole Sands, Andrew Morris, Yoendrys Gomez , and Jeff Hoffman as the closer would headline a bullpen that projects to be much more consistent than the 2026 version.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/twins/onsi as Twins Face Key Bullpen Decisions as Two Left-Handers Hit Free Agency .
