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Randy Dobnak Lands Back in MN Twins Organization
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- Randy Dobnak Lands Back in MN Twins Organization
Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Twins needed length out of their bullpen in St. Louis . That's because their starting pitching, aside from Joe Ryan , didn't throw well. The biggest culprit was Bailey Ober . For some reason Rocco Baldelli sent him to the bump despite being sick and it went terribly.
Ober was shelled for eight runs on eight hits in just 2/23 innings against the Cardinals . He had been puking and taking an IV to replace fluids just days prior. It's not a shock that the results were terrible. Randy Dobnak replaced him and pitched well.
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After the game he was designated for assignment . That has become common practice because of his contract. No team is willing to assume the $4 million remaining for his services. That means he'll stay in the Twins organization.
Minnesota Twins hang onto Randy Dobnak
The Minnesota Twins were always going to retain Randy Dobnak. His contract assured them of that . Despite having time to report for Triple-A St. Paul, Minnesota told Dobnak to hop on a flight and get to Columbus. They could do so because it's obvious no team is claiming his contract on waivers. That played out the way they expected.
#MNTwins Roster News: Randy Dobnak cleared waivers and is accepting the outright assignment to @StPaulSaints .
— Dustin Morse (@morsecode) April 2, 2025
Last season Randy Dobnak worked his way back to the big leagues . He made his 2025 debut on Sunday and worked 5 1/3 innings while allowing just a single run on two hits. He walked a pair and struck out one.
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There was never any issue with Dobnak being DFA'd after the game. Minnesota paid him $9.25 million after the 2020 season because he had proven to be a capable big league starter. He then got hurt and the contract basically acts as an evergreen option for the organization.
The greater issue was that they sent him back out to the mound after a 58 minute rain delay and had him throw a total of 79 pitches. It was a clear disregard for his arm, and something the organization has not been inclined to do for any other pitcher. It's one thing to realize the contract is a sunk cost, but treating the human and arm that way is weird work.
Randy Dobnak calmed the storm yesterday, going 5.1 innings in relief for the Twins, allowing only one run!
Dobnak has an elite feel for mixing his pitches, throwing all four between 23-28% with a tremendous changeup that averages -6" of induced vertical break! pic.twitter.com/IGG7YrwgQa— Pitch Profiler (@pitchprofiler) March 31, 2025
Dobnak will join a Saints team that is currently 2-0 to start the season. They have yet to allow a single run, and have played just two games after two-thirds of the opening series in St. Paul was cancelled.
Where do MN Twins place Dobnak with Saints?
Randy Dobnak's place with the St. Paul Saints was a question going into the season. It didn't have to be answered because he made the Opening Day roster for the Minnesota Twins. Now returning to Triple-A, he joins an incredibly crowded starting rotation.
Zebby Matthews was untouchable in his first @StPaulSaints start of the season 💯
5 IP / 1 H / 0 R / 0 BB / 4 K
He averaged 97.5 MPH in the outing and topped out at 99.2 MPH ⛽️ #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/MLJIZKSca1— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) April 2, 2025
David Festa started the first game and Zebby Matthews got the nod in the second. Andrew Morris will start game three, and Marco Raya is the starter for game four. Cory Lewis will presumably start game five and that rounds out the group. Travis Adams, another starter and one that was added to the 40-man roster this offseason, has worked in long-relief already.
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I've been told that the plan for Adams is to pitch every fourth day. He may start games, but will look to simply stay stretched out. That puts him in position to be an option for the Twins in multiple different roles.
Related: Former MLB GM Sleeping on MN Twins Starting Rotation
Dobnak debuted for the Twins out of the bullpen. He's best utilized as a starter, and basically worked as one by throwing extensive relief innings. He may not slot into the starting group for Toby Gardenhire, but he could piggy back as Adams is seemingly doing as well.
This shouldn't be the last Minnesota sees of Dobnak this year, but you can bet it's the last year that Dobnak will be with the Twins organization.
