Minnesota Twins say goodbye to former closer Glen Perkins

The Minnesota Twins informed former closer Glen Perkins that they would not pick up his 2018 option today.

The Minnesota Twins informed Glen Perkins today that they would not be picking up his $6.5M 2018 option and would instead be exercising a $700K buyout, ending Perkins’ 14-year relationship with the organization.

Perkins’ Career

Perkins graduated from Stillwater Area High School and attended the University of Minnesota, where he was a standout pitcher, going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA over 31 games, 28 starts, with the Golden Gophers, throwing 217 innings with a 1.07 WHIP and a 44/230 BB/K ratio. His elite performance in his two seasons in the Gophers rotation got him drafted 22nd overall in the 2004 draft.

Perkins posted an elite 1.49 ERA over 60 1/3 innings between Elizabethton and the Midwest League in his draft year, putting up a 16/71 BB/K ratio. He followed that up in 2005 by jumping over high-A and AA in the same season. He threw 134 innings, with a 3.76 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and a 48/133 BB/K ratio. The Twins sent him to Arizona Fall League, where he was excellent, with a 2.53 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 32 innings, with a 6/39 BB/K ratio.

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He made his major league debut on 2006, working his way up from AA to AAA to the major league level. He was used as a reliever in his brief call up, showing very well in that role. Perkins was injured in 2007, but he still worked his way back to the majors as a reliever for 19 games.

The Twins gave Perkins a starting rotation job in 2008 after he opened in the AAA rotation in 2008. He threw 151 innings in the majors with a 4.41 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, posting a 39/74 BB/K ratio. After he struggled with a 5.89 ERA in 96 1/3 MLB innings in 2009 and again out of the rotation with AAA in 2010, Perkins was moved permanently to the bullpen.

Perkins in 2011 established himself as an elite reliever, with a 2.48 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over 61 2/3 innings, posting a 21/65 BB/K ratio. In 2012, Perkins took over as the team’s closer. From 2012-2015, Perkins saved 118 games, with a 2.93 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over 251 2/3 innings, posting a 52/275 BB/K ratio. He was selected to 3 All-Star games in that time.

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As a Twins fan and a Minnesota sports fan, this one is a tough one to take. Perkins was a stand-up guy who gave everything he had to the team and was obviously distressed when he no longer had the ability to contribute to the point of the value of his contract.

Perkins did fight hard to get back, but the injury that he was worried would “affect the rest of my career in some capacity” obviously affected his pitching this season. Best of luck, Glen, on your future, wherever that may be!