Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Minnesota Twins pitchers and catchers have already officially reported down in Fort Myers, FL for the start of 2026 Spring Training, but the front office has made it very clear the past week or two that they are nowhere near done building the Opening Day roster.
Entering camp, there wasn’t a group on the depth chart more desperate for big league talent than the bullpen — which remains the team’s biggest weakness going into Monday’s first full-squad practice.
Since the start of the offseason, Minnesota has acquired a handful of semi-intriguing relievers both on major and minor league deals, with hopes that a few of them will exceed their 2026 expectations, a few of which have been left-handed.
The Twins’ run on lefties began back in January, with a Taylor Rogers reunion. It continued earlier this week when GM Jeremy Zoll swung a deal with the LA Dodgers to acquire yet another southpaw — 32-year-old veteran Anthony Banda — in exchange for some international signing pool money.
Minnesota Twins sign left reliever Andrew Chafin
On Saturday, just a few days after dealing for Banda, the Minnesota Twins went back in on their newfound infatuation for 30-something lefty relievers, inking 35 y/o Andrew Chafin to his own MiLB deal.
#MNTwins add LHP Andrew Chafin on a minor-league deal with an invite to camp.
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) February 14, 2026
Chafin isn’t the only intriguing minor league bullpen invite who landed in Fort Myers this week. On Thursday, the Twins announced the signing of once-dominant right-handed closer, 37 y/o Liam Hendriks on the same type of deal.
Chafin — who has never made an All-Star game and won’t be mentioned in future Hall of Fame discussions — was one of the best lefty relievers in baseball just a few seasons ago (keep reading).
He was pretty good in limited 2025 action as well, pitching just 33.1 innings but posting a 2.41 ERA, 3.46 FIP, 177 ERA+ and 1.426 WHIP in those 42 appearances. That’s not bad for a guy who’s not even taking up a 40-man spot roster spot especially given how badly the MN Twins need reliever help.
Here’s a nasty slider from Andrew Chafin in the 1st game of the NYM/DET doubleheader pic.twitter.com/rwApGq0znE
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) April 4, 2024
So, what should we realistically expect from Chafin? Well, if the Minnesota Twins didn’t already have FOUR left-handed relievers on the 40-man (all of whom have a legitimate shot to make the 26-man Opening Day roster) he’d probably be a lock.
Not only does the veteran journeyman come into camp with more big league experience than most of the other pitchers in Minnesota’s bullpen, but the 2011 Arizona Diamondbacks first round draft pick (No. 43 overall) is arguably the most accomplished.
Chafin should be a lock to make MN Twins bullpen… if healthy
Over the course of his 12 year MLB career, Chafin has played for eight teams before the Twins. He’s thrown a total of 542 total innings over 643 games, posting a 3.35 ERA, 3.30 FIP, 127 ERA+, 1.284 WHIP and 9.8 SO/9.
Better yet, the Kenny Powers lookalike gets better with age. Since 2021, Andrew Chafin has averaged 53.4 innings per season, with a 3.03 ERA, 137 ERA+, 3.37 FIP and 10.1 SO/9.
Offense aside, Andrew Chafin has pitched excellently. He owns a 3.02 ERA and a 2.34 xERA and one of the very best sliders in the game right now. Chafin’s slider currently is holding batters to a .067 BAA and a 60.8% Whiff Rate. pic.twitter.com/GhFfgtWEFG
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) August 25, 2022
Related: Joe Ryan Just Wanted the Twins to Try
The only thing holding Chafin back in recent seasons has been his own health. Last year, missed over five weeks of the season with left tricep and right hamstring injuries.
After Derek Falvey’s departure, the pressure is on both GM Jeremy Zoll and new top dog Tom Pohlad to plug holes that remain across the roster, but especially the bullpen. After all, Tom is the one who wants us to focus on the results, not the payroll.
That’s easy to say when games aren’t being played. Come March, there will be no more hiding whatever warts the 2026 Minnesota Twins have bubbling underneath their pores. 162 games will show even the most modest blemishes.
Mentioned in this article: Andrew Chafin Spring Training
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