The Minnesota Twins announced a roster move on Friday.
The Minnesota Twins made a roster move on Friday as they continue navigating a stretch of roster shuffling driven by injuries, bullpen usage and the need for fresh arms.
Minnesota enters its weekend matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays still searching for stability, particularly on the pitching side, after a demanding week that required multiple call-ups and short-term reinforcements.
With the club finally getting one of its relievers back, another young arm is headed down. The Minnesota Twins announced that left-hander Kody Funderburk had been reinstated from the paternity list. In a corresponding move, left-hander Kendry Rojas was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul.
Rojas was called up earlier this week on Tuesday to provide bullpen coverage against the New York Mets while Funderburk was away. The Twins needed a fresh arm, and Rojas answered the call, making his MLB debut and tossing two scoreless innings. He did not collect any strikeouts and issued three walks.
However, his outing gave Minnesota exactly what it needed in the moment, but with Funderburk returning, the club can now send Rojas back to Triple-A to resume his development.
Rojas remains one of the Twins top pitching prospects. Acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays at last year’s trade deadline in the deal that sent Louis Varland and Ty France to Toronto, the 23-year-old is viewed as a long-term starting pitcher in the organization.
His mechanics, pitch mix and strikeout ability all point toward a future rotation role, but for now, the Twins have used him as a short-term bullpen option when needed.
He will now return to St. Paul to continue refining his command and delivery. Across six minor-league seasons, Rojas has posted a 3.54 ERA with 333 strikeouts in 287 1/3 innings, an impressive strikeout rate that highlights his upside.
However, Triple-A has been a challenge so far. He owns a 6.10 ERA in 11 appearances at the level, underscoring the need for more consistency before he can claim a permanent MLB role. Even so, his ability to miss bats gives the Twins reason to remain patient.
As for Funderburk, his return restores a needed left-handed option to Minnesota’s bullpen, which has been stretched thin throughout April. And with the Twins continuing to cycle through arms to stay afloat, both pitchers could find themselves back in the mix again soon, because Minnesota’s pitching depth is being tested daily and every available arm matters right now.