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Minnesota Twins Call Up New Arm for the Bullpen
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- Minnesota Twins Call Up New Arm for the Bullpen
Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Twins are just three games into the 2025 regular season. Unfortunately those three games all resulted in losses and Rocco Baldelli's team has begun the year 0-3.
Sunday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals was particularly ugly. Minnesota opted to send a sick Bailey Ober out to the mound. His stuff was diminished and he was hit around while lasting just 2 2/3 innings and allowing eight runs.
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Randy Dobnak came on to bail him out and save the bullpen. Following a 58 minute rain delay, he was asked to come back out and he finished the game. That earned him a trip off the roster with a DFA following the game .
Darren McCaughan joins Minnesota Twins in Chicago
With Dobnak's roster spot open, and the bullpen needing a length replacement, the Twins are turning to veteran Darren McCaughan . He signed this offseason as a minor league free agent and pitched six innings across three games during Grapefruit League action.
The Twins have selected the contract of Darren McCaughan to take Dobnak's place on the roster. https://t.co/WqfNRSSS2u
— Ted (@tlschwerz) March 31, 2025
McCaughan allowed five runs on ten hits during Spring Training. He did post a solid 7/1 K/BB however. The 29-year-old has 56 major league innings under his belt. Last season he pitched with both the Miami Marlins and Cleveland Guardians .
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Expectations shouldn't be high for McCaughan as he has allowed 45 runs (40 earned) during his big league tenure. Last year McCaughan worked as a started at Triple-A and owned a 4.73 ERA across 85 2/3 innings . Despite just a 6.4 K/9 at the major league level, he struck out 92 in the minors last year.
The arsenal for McCaughan is limited. He throws his fastball at 89.4 mph and just under 20% of the time. His sinker sits roughly the same speed, and he turns to that 31% of the time. He pairs those two with a slider and changeup.
McCaughan was a 12th round pick during the 2017 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners . He reached the majors with them in 2021, but didn't pitch at the highest level in 2022.
Why are the Minnesota Twins shuffling the bullpen?
The move to McCaughan is about length. He can play the same role that Dobnak did and provides a fresh arm. Unlike Dobnak, McCaughan isn't as surefire of a bet to stay in the organization once he is optioned. He has no remaining minor league options available , and will need to clear waivers in order to eventually return to Triple-A.
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That move is likely to come whenever Brock Stewart or Michael Tonkin are healthy. Minnesota is hoping that one or both of that pair are ready to rock in the next week or so.
Related: Minnesota Twins DFA Everyone's Favorite Bearded Pitcher
Someone like Scott Blewett would be a better bullpen option from a stuff standpoint, but the Twins don't want to lose him. Blewett too is out of options, and he would likely be claimed if sent through waivers. Rather than waste him early in the season for a role that could last a week, McCaughan becomes an expendable resource.
It's also likely that McCaughan passes through waivers unclaimed given his track record, and the Twins could keep their roster flexibility. Minnesota kicks off a three-game series against the White Sox on Monday before their home opener against Houston on Thursday.
