{"id":590450,"date":"2026-02-24T16:27:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T16:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/590450\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T16:27:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T16:27:14","slug":"david-festa-gradually-ramping-up-while-working-back-from-shoulder-issue-minnesota-twins-talk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/590450\/","title":{"rendered":"David Festa \u201cGradually Ramping Up\u201d While Working Back From Shoulder Issue – Minnesota Twins Talk"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tSpring training is always about progression, but for David Festa<\/a>, the climb toward Opening Day may be a little more deliberate this year.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAccording to The Star Tribune\u2019s Bobby Nightengale<\/a>, Festa is \u201cgradually ramping up\u201d this spring after ending the 2025 season on the injured list. In September, Festa was diagnosed with a mild form of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, which caused nerve compression in his right shoulder. He underwent treatment that included Botox injections in an effort to avoid surgery.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tOver the weekend in Fort Myers, Festa took another step forward by throwing live at-bats on a back field. Nightengale reported that his fastball sat between 91 and 92 miles per hour during the session. That mark falls short of last season when Festa averaged 94.1 miles per hour on his four-seamer, but it is also an indication that he is trending in the right direction after previously being limited to bullpen sessions.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe nerve issue near his pitching shoulder required a cautious offseason approach, and the Twins are clearly taking the same path this spring. Even so, Festa still has a legitimate opportunity to win a spot in Minnesota\u2019s rotation as camp progresses.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tEarlier in the winter, there was some speculation that Festa could shift to the bullpen in order to bolster a group lacking high upside right-handed options. However, starting pitching depth has quickly become a priority for the Twins following the news that Pablo L\u00f3pez<\/a> will miss the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tMinnesota\u2019s projected rotation currently includes Joe Ryan<\/a>, Bailey Ober<\/a>, Simeon Woods Richardson<\/a>, and Taj Bradley<\/a>. The final spot could ultimately come down to Festa, Zebby Matthews<\/a>, and Mick Abel<\/a> as the calendar inches closer to Opening Day. Whichever two pitchers fall short in that competition will likely begin the year with the St. Paul Saints and serve as early-season depth should injuries arise or performance dictate a change.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tFesta entered last season as arguably Minnesota\u2019s top pitching prospect after posting a 34.9 K% with a 4.00 FIP at Triple-A in 2024. However, his big-league tenure has matched those upper-minors results. In 117 2\/3 innings, he has posted an 83 ERA+, 4.27 FIP, and 25.7 K%.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tFor Festa, Saturday\u2019s live session was not about velocity as much as it was about availability. If the trend continues upward, he could still find himself in the Opening Day conversation even as the Twins take a patient approach to his return.\n<\/p>\n

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