I decided to construct the best possible starting rotation the Twins can field on Opening Day using internal options. While it'd be nice to see Minnesota add someone like Lucas Giolito or Zack Littel after losing Pablo López to season-ending UCL surgery, we shouldn't get our hopes up.
Twins' Opening Day starting rotation should include Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, Simeon Woods Richardson, Zebby Matthews
With López being out for the season, Ryan will certainly be the Opening Day starter. He was scratched from his first scheduled spring training start with low back inflammation, but he is expected to return to in-game action soon.
Ober will be Minnesota's No. 2 starter. He was a very solid pitcher for Minnesota in 2023 and 2024, pitching to a 3.73 ERA with a 26.2% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate in 323 innings across 57 starts during that span. Then, the righty had the worst season of his career by far in 2025, posting a 5.10 ERA (4.90 FIP) with 120 strikeouts, 31 walks and 30 homers in 146 1/3 innings across 27 outings.
A big reason for Ober's struggles last season was a dip in velocity; his fastball averaged 91.7 mph in 2024 and 90.3 mph in 2025. A reason for his lowered velocity may have been a nagging hip issue he dealt with last year. Ober worked with a specialist during the offseason to address his hip issue and has noticed a "big difference," according to The Athletic's Dan Hayes. Hopefully, the "big difference" leads to Ober returning to form.
Bradley and Woods Richardson should be the No. 3 and No. 4 starters, as they have the most starting experience besides Ryan and Ober on Minnesota's staff.
The final rotation spot will either go to Zebby Matthews or Mick Abel. Matthews has more MLB experience, so giving him one last shot to prove if he is a big-league starter seems like the right move. If he struggles, he can be moved to the bullpen or sent back down to Triple-A St. Paul, which would give Abel a rotation spot. Injuries are also inevitable, so Abel and Matthews could both find themselves in the starting rotation at the same time.
David Festa was another pitcher who was presumably competing for the final rotation spot before he suffered a shoulder impingement, which will likely have him on the IL to begin the season.