With the cutoff for Rule 5 protection on Tuesday night, plenty of teams had to designate players for assignment to make room for prospects on their 40-man roster. As a result, a handful of new players are now available to either claim off waivers or sign with a team when they inevitably become free agents. With the Twins on the lookout for roster upgrades, a few names may make some sense.

Jason Foley
Foley was a legitimate high-end reliever for the Tigers in 2023 and 2024, combining for 129 innings pitched with an ERA under 3.00. Previously an undrafted free agent, he beat the odds to become a durable and effective relief option for several seasons. A shoulder injury cost him all of 2025, and he’s now in search of a new team at 30 years old.

At his best, Foley is a power sinkerballer, comfortably sitting in the high 90s on his heater to pair with a dominant slider. Foley has high-leverage experience, which would be a welcome addition to an inexperienced Twins bullpen. Health is the big question mark, as his medicals are surely the reason the Tigers chose not to hold onto him. If Foley can take the mound in 2026, the Twins should be very interested.

Nathaniel Lowe
This was the worst season of Lowe’s career, and it may drop him into the Twins’ price range. He posted a .798 OPS from 2022-2024 before a miserable stint with Washington at the beginning of last season. After landing with the Red Sox for the stretch run, he posted a .790 OPS in 34 games. Lowe has been a starting-caliber first baseman for the better part of four years, and may be just what the Twins need at first base.

Though left-handed (like the incumbent Kody Clemens), Lowe owns an above-average slash line in his career against southpaws, in addition to crushing righties. He doesn’t need to be platooned and posts more respectable walk and strikeout rates than Clemens. His pricey arbitration number was likely the driving factor in the decision to cut him, which means he’s likely to hit the open market and have plenty of interest at a lower price tag. If the Twins can make it happen, bringing Lowe in on a prove-it one-year deal makes a lot of sense.

Dauri Moreta
It was surprising to see the Pirates part with an interesting arm like Moreta, but another team could benefit by giving him a roster spot. The burly righthander is now out of options, so Pittsburgh decided to part ways rather than gamble on his dominant stuff without the ability to shuttle him to the minors. He posted a 31.8% strikeout rate while limiting homers in 2023, before missing 2024 after Tommy John surgery. He flashed that dominance in his return in 2025, and the hope is that he’s at 100%, being another year removed from injury.

Moreta throws a unique slider that typically draws a whiff rate of around 40%. Pairing it with a mid-90s fastball, he should continue to rack up strikeouts. Moreta looked like a rising star before his injury and still has three years of team control. He’s just 29 years old. His raw stuff could immediately drop him into a high-leverage role in 2026, and he could become a premier reliever if everything clicks. 

Are there any other players in similar circumstances whom you would like to see the Twins claim? Let us know below!