The Minnesota Twins are facing major questions about their pitching staff heading into the 2026 season, and a recent Bleacher Report article outlined a potential solution.
With the team coming off a disappointing 70-92 record in 2025, fixing the bullpen has become the top priority for the front office if they want to make any push for the playoffs.
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Two Arms That Could Make a Difference
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller did not hold back when evaluating the Twins’ offseason moves so far.
“Are the Twins ever going to pick a lane?” Miller wrote. “They have neither doubled down on their summer fire sale, nor done anything legitimate to restock the cupboards. If they’re making any effort to contend this season, though, they need bullpen help, and a lot of it. RHP Seranthony DomÃnguez is arguably the best arm still available. Veteran swingman RHP Nick Martinez is another option who can eat innings.”
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DomÃnguez would be a significant upgrade for Minnesota’s relief corps.
The 31-year-old right-hander pitched for both the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays in 2025, posting a combined 3.16 ERA with 79 strikeouts across 62.2 innings in 67 appearances.
His fastball still reaches the upper-90s and he brings postseason experience after making 12 appearances for Toronto in the playoffs last fall.
Martinez offers a different kind of value as a pitcher who can start games or work out of the bullpen, and that flexibility is something the Twins desperately need right now.
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The 35-year-old logged 165.2 innings for the Cincinnati Reds in 2025 with a 4.45 ERA while making 26 starts and 14 relief appearances.
Over the past four seasons since returning from Japan, Martinez has a 3.67 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 524.2 innings while filling multiple roles on pitching staffs.
Why the Twins Need Help Now
Minnesota’s bullpen fell apart after the front office traded away its best relievers at the 2025 deadline.
The team sent Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, Brock Stewart, and Danny Coulombe to other clubs in exchange for younger players, and the results were ugly down the stretch.
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The Twins’ relievers posted a 4.93 ERA over August and September, which ranked better than just three other teams in the majors during that span.
The American League Central looks like it could be up for grabs in 2026, which makes this offseason even more important for Minnesota.
The Twins still have ace Joe Ryan and a solid rotation, but none of that matters if they cannot hold leads late in games.
Signing someone like DomÃnguez would give them a proven arm who could either close games or set up for whoever earns that role, and Martinez would provide depth that can be used in multiple ways depending on what the team needs on any given day.
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Both pitchers remain unsigned as spring training gets closer, but that window will not stay open much longer.
If the Twins are serious about competing this season, they need to act fast before these options sign elsewhere.