Now that the Twins have added Dan Altavilla to the 2026 bullpen, there is still room for another arm (ideally a closer). But, now that we're this late into the ballgame, plenty of elite-level closers have already been signed. That's alright, though. There's plenty of free agent relievers still out there.
After the holidays, Minnesota should pursue at least more bullpen arm, and these five relievers would each be decent fits with the Twins.
Scott Barlow
2025 stats: 4.21 ERA, 75 K, 68.1 IP, 0.7 bWAR
Barlow, who just turned 33 years old, would be a sneaky-good signing for the Twins. In 15.2 career innings at Target Field, he has 21 strikeouts and a 1.15 ERA.
His 4.21 ERA this past season is much worse than it looks, too. He gave up 10 runs from September 2-13, but outside of that, he had an ERA in the mid-3.00 range. For example, in August, he surrendered two runs in 13.2 frames (1.32 ERA). When he's on, he's lethal. He will also be on the lower end of cost after being paid $2.5 million in 2025 by Cincinnati.
Pete Fairbanks
2025 stats: 2.83 ERA, 59 K, 60.1 IP, 1.2 bWAR, 27 saves
Pitching to a 1.044 WHIP, Fairbanks still has one of the top bullpen fastballs in the game, as well as an elite barrel rate. He is probably the hottest free agent reliever still left on the board, but there's no reason that Minnesota can't be in the hunt for him. If they are looking for a true replacement of Jhoan Duran, then Fairbanks is your best bet.
Hunter Harvey
2025 stats: 0.00 ERA, 11 K, 10.2 IP, 0.7 bWAR
Harvey hit the injured list twice last season, which may repel a few teams. The 31-year-old will likely not demand a big contract, so he would be a low-risk, medium-reward move. He recorded 32 outs in 2025 and allowed seven baserunners. He had a bumpy 2024 playing for two teams, but in 2023, he was dominant with a 2.82 ERA and 0.940 WHIP.
If Harvey can stay healthy in 20626, then he would be the Twins' best surprise move.
Pierce Johnson
2025 stats: 3.05 ERA, 59 K, 59 IP, 1.1 bWAR
Johnson will be one of the more expensive options, but it could be worth it. In 12 career postseason innings, he has 17 strikeouts and two runs allowed. That prowess is needed if Minnesota makes the playoffs (yes, that is a big if).
Johnson has closing experience, too. He has 16 career saves, including 13 in 2023. Johnson is an above-average reliever in just most metrics, and even though he isn't a blockbuster name, someone like him would really push the needle in the right direction.
Justin Wilson
2025 stats: 3.35 ERA, 57 K, 48.1 IP, 0.3 bWAR
The 38-year-old can still hit his fastball in the mid-to-high 90s. He's also still a big swing-and-miss reliever, but walks can come back to bite him. Wilson is a spark-plug reliever, and more often than not, he will get the job done. It also never hurts to have another lefty in the mix.