The Minnesota Twins have spent much of the 2025 season waiting for good news regarding their starting rotation. Simeon Woods Richardson recently returned after undergoing surgery to address a parasite. Zebby Matthews has worked his way back from a shoulder strain. Pablo López is slated to be activated later this week. David Festa was supposed to join this group. Instead, the right-hander’s season has come to an early end.

The Twins announced earlier this week that Festa has been shut down after experiencing a recurrence of right shoulder inflammation. Festa, who last pitched in the big leagues on July 21, made a rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul last week. While the results looked promising, he felt discomfort during his next bullpen session.

He will meet with Dr. Keith Meister next week for further evaluation, but Minnesota has already ruled out a return before the season’s end. Festa finishes his second MLB campaign with 11 appearances (10 starts), going 3-4 with a 5.40 ERA, 53 strikeouts and 19 walks in 53 1/3 innings.

A Promising Start Meets a Hard Stop
The 25-year-old first reported shoulder discomfort early in the season with the Saints, but things escalated after a July start against the Dodgers. He was placed on the injured list shortly after that appearance.

At the time, imaging suggested no structural damage, and Festa hoped rest would be enough to get him back on track. He received two anti-inflammatory injections and sat for roughly five weeks before ramping up. His return, however, lasted just one start.

It’s a frustrating outcome for a pitcher who has flashed exciting potential since debuting in 2024. Last season, Festa logged 14 games (13 starts) with a 4.90 ERA but a strong 3.76 FIP, sparking optimism that he could grow into a mid-rotation fixture. Instead, his strikeout rate dipped this season (23.1 K%), his walk rate held steady (8.3 BB%), and he surrendered more home runs (4.4%). Overall, this year represents a step backward in both health and performance.

The Velocity Development Question
One of the areas where the Twins have excelled in recent years is squeezing extra velocity out of college pitchers. Festa is a prime example. He was drafted in the 13th round as a low-90s arm out of Seton Hall and developed into a mid-to-upper 90s fastball pitcher within the Twins’ system. That type of jump has transformed late-round picks into legitimate prospects, giving the organization an edge in building pitching depth without spending high draft picks on hurlers who are prone to breaking down.

But there’s another side to that coin. More velocity means more stress on the arm, and the correlation between increased fastball speed and shoulder or elbow issues isn’t new. Festa’s shoulder inflammation may not directly trace back to velocity gains, but his situation highlights the risk that comes with pushing pitchers to their max. As an organization that has leaned heavily into this developmental strategy, the Twins will need to carefully monitor whether the pursuit of velocity is costing them long-term durability.

The challenge ahead is finding the balance between developing arms that can compete in today’s velocity-driven game and keeping them on the mound often enough to make an impact. Festa’s shutdown is a reminder of just how thin that line can be. If they’re unable to walk it, the team might need to consider retreating to a different model of scouting and development, wherein they target pitchers whose bodies have demonstrated an ability to withstand the forces required to throw hard already.

Looking Toward 2026
As a late-round pick, Festa’s rise to the majors was a development win for the Twins. But the shoulder troubles now cast real doubt on whether his talent will fully translate over the long term. Minnesota expected Festa to push for a rotation spot in 2026, but the organization may need to reframe expectations. Any time players go see Dr. Meister, surgery is a real option, and if Festa does require an operation, he could miss all of next season.

Festa’s shutdown also reshapes how the Twins might approach the offseason. While the organization has internal options to fill out the rotation, relying on so many pitchers coming off injury (Woods Richardson, Matthews, and even López) comes with risk. Minnesota may now feel more pressure to add a durable veteran starter through free agency or trade, to stabilize the staff.

In past years, the front office has leaned on “quantity over certainty,” stockpiling arms and hoping enough would stick. Festa’s setback is a reminder that talent alone doesn’t guarantee availability or (therefore) value. If the Twins want to avoid a repeat of 2025’s rotation rollercoaster, supplementing their homegrown arms with proven innings-eaters might be the only way forward.

Does Festa’s injury point to a developmental problem for the Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion.