3 free agents Minnesota Twins must target to bolster bullpen

Perhaps the best option still available for the Twins is veteran lefty Matt Moore. He was once a top prospect in baseball and helped anchor part of an iconic three-headed pitching monster in Tampa Bay alongside prime David Price and James Shields.

He fell on hard times though after departing for San Francisco in 2016 and seemed to bottom out during his stint with the Phillies in 2021. But once Moore dropped out of the rotation and joined the bullpen down in Texas last season he unlocked a level we haven't seen since his days with the Rays.

Moore posted a 1.95 ERA with a 2.98 FIP across 74 innings for the Rangers, and is the sort of lefty that could pair well with guys like Caleb Thielbar and Jovani Moran in the Twins bullpen this season. Assuming he taps back into what he was channeling in Texas, Moore feels like the kind of veteran addition that might not raise a ton of interest in February but could become a deal everyone looks back on in September and October as a key move for a contending team.

Of course, the gamble is that Moore will keep his hot hand. Part of what made his resurgence with the Rangers so phenomenal was the fact that he'd hit the skids so hard in recent years. There's also the contract situation to figure out, as Moore's value on the market is slightly inflated due to some deals that less successful relievers received this winter.

If Minnesota can get Moore on a reasonable deal closer to the $2.5 million he made in Texas last year without dipping too deep into double digits, there's no question the type of upside he'll add to the bullpen.