What are the Minnesota Twins going to do this offseason? Considering the club has yet to sign a free agent this winter, their absence has grown to a frightening level.
News of the Twins wanting to hold on to Joe Ryan, Byron Buxton, and Pablo Lopez is great, but is masking another major problem. Minnesota needs to keep building the roster, even if it isn't a superstar. Patching up the bullpen would be a great start, and there is particular reliever who could be a tremendous addition to the Twins' staff.
Shawn Armstrong, 35, had a bounce-back year with the Rangers in 2025. He is a free agent and is hopeful of a return to Texas, but his numbers at AL Central ballparks should have the Twins interested in pursuing him.
Free agent Shawn Armstrong's impressive numbers in AL Central stadiums should have Twins salivating
Among relievers in the free agent pool, Armstrong had the sixth-highest 2025 fWAR (2.0). The five arms ahead of him are already signed, which makes Armstrong currently the best reliever on the market in this metric. This past season, he posted a 0.811 WHIP in 74 innings, which marks a career-best effort in a full season.
This solid season comes on the tails of a 2024 rollercoaster that saw Armstrong pitch for the Rays, Cardinals, and Cubs. He couldn't find his footing anywhere, but he turned into a dominant pitcher under pitching coach Mike Maddux in Texas.
Beyond Armstrong's impressive 2025 campaign, let's have a look at how he fares in AL Central ballparks throughout his career. For starters, he owns a 1.93 ERA and 0.964 WHIP in 9.1 innings at Target Field.
At Progressive Field, Armstrong has a 0.946 WHIP in 27 appearances (30.2 innings). At Comerica Park, he has 15 strikeouts in 15.2 innings. At Guaranteed Rate Field, he has 11 strikeouts and a 2.79 ERA in 9.2 innings. His only struggles have come at Kauffman Stadium, where has allowed six runs in 9 innings.
He's a proven stud (for the most part) in ballparks that the Twins consistently play in. That's a great starting point to pursue someone like Armstrong, who could be exactly what Minnesota needs to hopefully kickstart a loud offseason.