Despite not knowing the Minnesota Twins’ payroll situation, they will need to dip into the free-agent market this offseason to bolster their roster and compete in 2026.
With many roles to fill in the bullpen and the need to find a strong hitter who can play first base and DH, it wouldn’t be an unsurprising thing for the Twins to pursue a reunion with one of their many former players in this year’s free agent class. There are plenty of names to choose from, but here are three that make the most sense going into the off-season.
Of the 11 players traded away during Minnesota’s trade deadline fire sale, Coulombe is most likely to reunite with the organization.
Coulombe had zero home runs allowed in 31 innings with the Twins, with just nine walks allowed, 31 strikeouts, and a 1.16 ERA. However, he didn’t have as much success after he was traded to the Texas Rangers. In just 15 relief appearances, Coulombe pitched to a 5.25 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, walking nine batters and allowing three home runs in 12 innings of work.
There was a stark difference in Coulombe’s performance with Texas and Minnesota this year. Some front offices may look at his time with the Rangers as a sign of decline that comes with age. Coulombe will be in his age-36 season next year. Others, and quite possibly the Twins, will see his performance in Arlington more as what it was – a lousy 15-game stretch at the end of the season.
No matter which way front offices view Coulombe this offseason, his price tag will be relatively cheap. Last year, the Twins signed him to a one-year, $3 million deal. The Twins will need a lefty specialist in their bullpen next year. Kody Funderburk pitched well down the stretch following the fire sale, allowing only two earned runs in 24 innings of work from August to September.
But even with Funderburk performing well at the end of the year, the Twins don’t seem ready to slot him into the high-leverage, lefty vs. lefty matchups. Coulombe was that guy for them for most of 2025, and he could likely end up in that same role for the Twins in 2026.
The Twins will need to fill in more than just one high-leverage relief role, and they won’t completely solidify those roles until the end of the season. But to find relievers who fit the mold, they’ll have to spend low on aging relievers, and former setup man Pressly fits the bill.
Pressly was in the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen through the end of July, when they designated him for assignment after a bad month in which he allowed seven earned runs on four homers in just 9 ⅓ innings. No team took a flyer on Pressly down the stretch, including the Twins, but he’s had plenty of time to fix what went wrong.
One of his most significant flaws was that opposing hitters consistently teed off on all but one of his pitches. His fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup all had an opponents’ average of .286 or higher in 41 ⅓ innings. The only pitch that still baffled opposing hitters was his sinker, which opposing batters had a .071 average against.
Pressly was inconsistent over the four months he pitched. He was dominant in April and June, posting ERAs of 2.25 and 1.50, respectively. But the Cubs cut Pressly after he posted a 9.00 ERA in May and a 6.25 ERA in July.
He will be 37 next year, but he showed he can still get batters out when he’s right. Pressly’s market will not be as high as in years past. Minnesota’s young bullpen could use a veteran reliever at the front of it who is familiar with the organization and new bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins.
Arraez is a one-of-one player in baseball right now. He’s the best contact hitter in the game, but he’s not in high demand because of his defensive limitations. Arraez will not be anything more than a first base/designated hitter for whichever team he lands with, and the Twins need someone who can do both more than any position out on the field.
The good news with Arraez is that he will come at a relatively low price, between $10 and $15 million. In a best-case scenario, it might be the most the Twins can spend on one player this offseason. Arraez will not bring much more power to Minnesota’s lineup, but even after having career lows in batting average (.292) and on-base percentage (.327). His presence would help bolster a Twins lineup that is in great need of players who consistently get on base and strike out less.
Given his strong ties to the fan base and the organization, and his special bond with Rod Carew, Arraez would get a hero’s welcome if he returned to Minnesota. Though the Twins could use a more prototypical power-hitting first baseman in their lineup, a reunion with Arraez would bolster the top of their lineup with more contact and high on-base players, which they’ll need if they want a chance to compete in 2026.