Minnesota Twins right-hander Bailey Ober made a noticeable adjustment on Monday.
The Minnesota Twins are closely monitoring Bailey Ober as he wraps up spring training, especially given how important he will be to their rotation in 2026. With right-hander Pablo Lopez sidelined for the season, Ober is expected to take on a much larger role, making any signs of improvement late in camp especially encouraging.
Ober is coming off a disappointing 2025 season in which he posted a 5.10 ERA with a 6‑9 record across 27 starts. He struck out just 120 batters in 146 1/3 innings, a noticeable drop in effectiveness compared to his previous two seasons. In both 2023 and 2024, Ober had established himself as a reliable arm with a sub‑4.00 ERA, making last year’s regression one of the reasons the Twins struggled and ultimately reshaped their roster at the trade deadline.
That context made his velocity trends this spring particularly concerning until his final outing. Ober’s average fastball velocity this spring: Start No. 1 — 89.9 mph. Start No. 2 — 88.8 mph. Start No. 3 — 88.2 mph. Start No. 4 — 89.6 mph. Start No. 4 came Monday, marking a noticeable uptick after a steady dip (h/t Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic).
The increase in velocity during his final spring training appearance is a positive development for both Ober and the Twins. Earlier in camp, the downward trend raised questions about his effectiveness heading into the season. For a pitcher who relies heavily on command and deception rather than overpowering stuff, even slight dips in velocity can have a significant impact.
Now, seeing that number climb back up suggests Ober may have made an adjustment, whether mechanical or physical, just in time for Opening Day. That is a crucial development for a Twins team that did not make major additions to its pitching staff following last year’s sell‑off and is relying heavily on internal improvement.
The 30-year-old has spent his entire MLB career with Minnesota after being selected in the 12th round of the 2017 Draft. With free agency still a couple of seasons away after 2028, he remains under team control, but his long‑term future could depend heavily on how he performs this year.
If Ober can return closer to his 2023‑2024 form, he could stabilize the rotation and even reestablish himself as a valuable trade or building piece. For now, his late spring adjustment offers a much‑needed reason for optimism in Minnesota.