Spring training often offers players on the roster bubble an opportunity to force their way into the conversation. For right-hander Travis Adams, the 2026 camp was shaping up as a chance to earn a role in the Minnesota bullpen. However, rather than moving closer to that goal, his spring has hit pause.
The Minnesota Twins announced Sunday that Adams has been diagnosed with right elbow inflammation and will not resume throwing until at least next weekend. According to Matthew Leach of MLB.com, Adams first experienced soreness on Friday, prompting the club to run additional tests.
The good news, though, is that the initial imaging provided some relief. An MRI revealed no structural damage in the elbow. Even so, the Twins are taking a cautious approach by shutting Adams down from throwing for at least seven days.
Adams originally felt the issue while warming up for a scheduled appearance on Friday against the Atlanta Braves. He was scratched from that outing and later evaluated by the medical staff. While the absence of structural damage is encouraging, any elbow concern for a pitcher during spring training is enough to slow the process.
The timing is not ideal for Adams, who entered camp as a contender for a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. The 26-year-old has the type of versatility that teams value during the long season. He is capable of pitching multiple innings and bridging the gap between the rotation and the late-inning relievers.
That flexibility was part of what made Adams an interesting developmental case for the Twins last season. Adams appeared in 18 games for Minnesota during the 2025 season. Across 33 2/3 innings, he posted a 7.49 ERA with a 1.66 WHIP and a 5.39 FIP. The strikeout and walk numbers told a similar story, as he recorded a 19.6 K% with a 10.8 BB%.
His performance at Triple-A was more encouraging. Pitching in the hitter-friendly environment of the International League, Adams produced a 3.93 ERA with a 19.6 K% and a more manageable 7.9 BB%. Those numbers helped keep him on the radar for a larger role entering 2026.
Part of Adams’s development also came within a unique pitching structure the Twins used throughout the minor leagues last year. When certain pitchers did not fit neatly into a traditional rotation slot, the organization placed them on a consistent four-day schedule. Instead of traditional starts, these pitchers would throw shorter outings more frequently.
The idea was that fewer pitches with quicker turnaround could provide better overall volume while helping pitchers recover more effectively. In those outings, Adams would typically face a lineup once or twice after a traditional starter before turning the game over to the bullpen. That approach allowed the Twins to continue building Adams’s workload while keeping him flexible for a variety of roles.
Entering this spring, it appeared likely that Minnesota would test Adams in shorter one or two-inning stints at the major league level. The hope was that his stuff might play up in shorter bursts, giving the bullpen another option capable of covering multiple frames when needed.
For now, that plan will have to wait. The immediate focus is simply getting Adams back on the mound and healthy. With no structural damage found, the Twins will hope the inflammation subsides quickly and allows him to resume throwing soon. If that happens, Adams could still work his way back into the conversation at some point during the season.
Spring training roster battles can change quickly, and injuries often reshape the competition. For Adams, the priority is making sure this brief scare stays just that. If his elbow responds well over the next week, he will have plenty of time to show the Twins what he can offer later in the year.