It wasn't that long ago that Randy Dobnak was the unintentional epitome of the Minnesota Twins' struggles. His infamous start at Yankee Stadium in in the ALDS back in 2019 became the butt of lame jokes, but was really just the start of his journey.
Dobnak retreated back into the farm system after his stint on the MLB roster, and he has used the time like Tony Stark in that cave back in the first Iron Man movie. Rather than toil away, Dobnak has worked on his stuff and gotten siginficantly better in just about every way.
Not only has Dobnak been able to find his groove in the minors, he's done so to such a degree that he's back with the Twins and in a position to make an imapct at the exact right time.
Randy Dobnak announced the Twins had called him up in the best way possible
Rather than let this be a typical transaction announcement, Dobank broke the news of his promotion in the best possible way. He channeled the iconic Michael Jordan fax from when he came out of retirement to let Twins fans know he was back.
— Randy Dobnak (@Dobnak_) July 30, 2024
It's a well earned promotion for Dobnak, who has largely flown under the radar while fans rightfully obsess over prospects like David Festa and Zebby Matthews. In that shadow, though, Dobnak has been absolutely fantastic.
He's posted a 2.26 ERA in his last 10 starts at Triple-A, a 12.5 percent whiff rate, and has a chase rate over 30 percent. Dobank has been dominating hitters in St. Paul, and now he's going to get a chance to lock himself into a meaningful role on what could very well be a postseason roster in a few months.
The promotion is also perfectly timed with the trade deadline. It's looking increasingly like the Twins won't make a move to add any pieces, opting instead to stand pat -- again -- and lean on internal options.
It's a frustrating development, but one that's not entirely misguided. Bailey Ober looks like one of the best pitchers in the league right now and fits the Twins' need for a No. 3 starter. Joe Ryan has quietly become the ace of the staff and if Pablo Lopez can straighten things out then Minnesota will have three really reliable starters for October. Add in a rising Simeon Woods Richardson and all of a sudden the Twins need for starting pitching isn't as glarring.
The question is whether Dobnak fits in as a starter or part of the bullpen. The Twins need help with relief pitching since Caleb Theilbar looks cooked and both Steven Okert and Josh Staumont are unproven.
We'll soon find out where Dobnak fist best, and whether or not he can take advantage of his success at Triple-A and deliver for the Twins when they need it most.
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