Minnesota Twins Top Free Agent Relief Pitchers: No. 6-No.1
- No. 6: Alex Reyes
- No. 5: Andrew Chafin
- No. 4: Taylor Rogers
- No. 3: Aroldis Chapman
- No. 2: Craig Kimbrel
- No. 1: Kenley Jansen
It’s a bit disappointing that there are six top relievers on the market for 2023, and one of them, Alex Reyes, might not be able to pitch this season. The injury-prone 2021 All-Star was non-tendered by the St. Louis Cardinals, but just like Chad Green, would be a solid pitcher to pick up on a two-year deal, as he has closer-level stuff when on the field.
Andrew Chafin has been one of baseball’s best set-up man over the past two seasons, thus drawing the designation of the best non-closer on our list. If the Twins offered a multi-year deal with some solid cash, he’d instantly solidify the bullpen.
A reunion with former Twin Taylor Rogers would also make a lot of sense. The team needs another left-handed reliever, and after a tough year, he could come with a discount. Pairing him with Lopez, Duran, and Alcala could allow him to settle in a bit more and return to the All-Star level he was at in 2021.
The next two are Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel, a pair of aging closers who struggled last year. Both have come back down to Earth over the last couple of years, but each are still good enough to handle closing duties with Duran handling the tougher batters.
The last pitcher on this list is the clear top reliever with Edwin Diaz re-signing in New York: Kenley Jansen. Just three saves behind Kimbrel on the all-time list at 391, Jansen needs just 35 saves to pass John Franco for fifth on the all-time saves list, a mark he’s crossed in both of the past two years.
Adding Jansen to the bullpen would make a weakness a legitimate strength and allow for Rocco to begin using his bullpen in the same way he tried to last year, but with a lot more success. If they were able to add another reliever on top of that, the team could become a real contender next season.