A handful of veteran offseason signings are now gone before the season starts.
The Minnesota Twins made a handful of roster moves on Friday that ended the spring training stays of infielder Gio Urshela and left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin.
Both veterans had been in camp on minor league deals and were told they would not make the Opening Day roster, so the club granted their releases along with former All-Star closer Liam Hendriks.
Minnesota is still trimming its roster ahead of a March 26 opener in Baltimore, and these moves brought the camp total down to 37 players.
The Twins went 70-92 last season and sit at 4-11-1 this spring, so the front office is focused on building around younger talent rather than carrying veterans on the fringes.
With new manager Derek Shelton still shaping his bullpen and bench, these cuts signal that Minnesota would rather give opportunities to homegrown players heading into a transitional year.
Why Urshela Didn't Make the Cut
Urshela returned to Minnesota on a minor league contract this offseason after spending time with the Angels and Athletics in recent years.
He was a solid everyday player for the Twins back in 2022, but a pelvic fracture in 2023 changed the direction of his career.
Over the past two seasons he has been more of a light-hitting utility option, and this spring did not help his case as he went just 5-for-26 (.192) with one RBI and five strikeouts.
His deal would have paid him $1.5 million if he had been added to the 40-man roster, and the Twins simply did not see enough from him to justify that number.
In a perfect world, Urshela could have brought some veteran presence and defensive flexibility to an infield that still has questions, but his bat just was not there this spring.
Chafin's Velocity Drop Sealed His Fate
Chafin's release might be the more surprising of the two.
The 35-year-old southpaw had a nice 2025 season between the Nationals and Angels, posting a 2.41 ERA across 42 appearances that showed he could still get hitters out.
He threw six innings of two-run ball this spring while striking out five, but the problem was his fastball velocity.
Statcast had him averaging around 85.7 mph this spring, nearly four ticks below where he sat during the regular season last year.
That kind of drop-off is tough to overlook, even if it is common for pitchers to build arm strength gradually in camp.
The Twins already have lefties Taylor Rogers, Kody Funderburk and Anthony Banda lined up for bullpen roles, so there was not a clear path for Chafin even with a strong showing.
What They Could Have Brought in 2026
Both players had qualities that could have helped Minnesota this season.
Chafin's experience and ability to handle lefty-heavy lineups would have been useful for a bullpen that was one of the worst in baseball last year, and Urshela's glove work at third base and shortstop could have given Shelton some flexibility on days when Royce Lewis or Brooks Lee needed rest.
But the Twins are clearly looking ahead, banking on younger options and hoping their top prospects like Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez can contribute sooner rather than later.
For Urshela and Chafin, the door to Minnesota is now closed, though both could find homes elsewhere before the regular season begins.