The Twins dipped back into the waiver wire this week, grabbing right-handed pitcher Jackson Kowar after he was cut loose by Seattle. Minnesota had room to make the move and plenty of motivation, continuing a busy stretch of roster shuffling that keeps the back end of the pitching staff very much in flux.
Kowar’s path to Minnesota is a winding one. Seattle designated him for assignment shortly after acquiring catcher Jhonny Pereda from the Twins, creating an odd bit of organizational overlap. Minnesota, meanwhile, had recently cleared space on the 40-man roster through a pair of trades with Colorado, moving Edouard Julien and Pierson Ohl for Jace Kaminska and cash considerations. That left one open 40-man spot, and the Twins chose to use it on a familiar type of gamble: big arm, big questions.
Entering his age-29 season, Kowar still brings eye-catching velocity. His four seamer and sinker live in the upper 90s, and the raw stuff has never really been the concern. Translating that power into outs has been another story. Across 91 major league innings with Kansas City and Seattle, Kowar has been hit hard, posting an ERA north of 8.00, but his FIP is below 6.00. His walk rate sits in the low teens, which is not unheard of for power relievers, but the strikeouts have lagged behind expectations. Even in the high minors, results have been uneven, with an ERA hovering near five.
Seattle also exhausted Kowar’s final minor league option last season, leaving him without roster flexibility. That reality often shortens the leash, especially for a pitcher still searching for consistency. Once the Mariners needed space, Kowar became expendable.
From the Twins’ perspective, the fit is obvious. The bullpen has open spots and needs arms that can fill the void after last season’s trade deadline selloff. While the front office has talked about a return to contention in 2026, the relief group remains light on proven arms. Beyond the reunion with Taylor Rogers and the addition of Eric Orze, there has not been much reinforcement.
That context makes Kowar an understandable add. Minnesota can afford to see if a new environment and some mechanical tweaks unlock something closer to the pitcher scouts once dreamed on. The opportunity will be there, simply because innings need to be covered.
There is also very little long-term commitment. Kowar is out of options, and that makes it tough to stick on a big-league roster without a proven track record. If the experiment fails, the Twins can move on just as easily as they claimed him.
For now, this looks like another low-risk attempt to plug a hole with upside. The stuff gives you a reason to watch, even if the track record urges caution. In a bullpen full of question marks, Kowar becomes one more name trying to turn raw velocity into something the Twins can actually trust.