Minnesota Twins reunite with former closer Rogers on a one-year deal to strengthen their bullpen left-handed pitching

MLB's official report states that the Minnesota Twins, seeking to reinforce their bullpen, have agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with free-agent left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers, although the team has not yet made an official announcement.

Now 35, Rogers started his career with the Twins and remained with Minnesota from 2016 until his trade in April 2022. He earned an All-Star selection in 2021. Last year, he played for both the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs, moving from the Pittsburgh Pirates to Chicago through two trades before the deadline. Over 57 appearances totaling 50.2 innings, he posted a 3-2 record with a 3.38 ERA, striking out 53 batters and issuing 23 walks.

In the past two seasons, this left-hander has simplified his pitching arsenal to two pitches: a slider and a sinker. Although used in similar proportions, his slider performed significantly better in 2025, with opponents hitting just .168 and slugging .337 against it; by contrast, batters hit .326 with a .537 slugging percentage off his sinker, which has also seen its velocity decline for four consecutive years.

Last year, Rogers showed little difference in effectiveness against right- and left-handed hitters, but his strikeout rate was notably higher against lefties. Between 2019 and 2022, he recorded 79 saves for the Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, and San Diego Padres, though recently he has served more as a lefty specialist. In this role, he remained efficient, striking out nearly 33% of left-handed batters faced, and although this rate dipped to 28.6% in 2025, he still proved dependable.

He is set to join a Twins bullpen with roles still undefined and is likely to become the primary left-handed option in this relatively inexperienced relief corps.