The veteran reliever is excited to come home to Minnesota and work with new manager Derek Shelton and bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins as the Twins look to rebuild their pitching staff in 2026.
Taylor Rogers is coming home, and he couldn't be happier about it.
The left-handed reliever signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Minnesota Twins last week, bringing him back to the organization that drafted him in the 11th round out of Kentucky in 2012.
It's where he broke into the big leagues in 2016, made the All-Star team in 2021, and became one of the most dependable bullpen arms in franchise history before being traded to San Diego before the 2022 season.
Shelton's Presence Made All the Difference
But what really sold Rogers on the return wasn't just the familiar surroundings at Target Field or the chance to pitch in front of fans who watched him develop.
It was the opportunity to reunite with new manager Derek Shelton, who served as the Twins' bench coach from 2018 to 2019 during part of Rogers' first stint with the club.
"I told Shelty on the phone, if he was managing a team in Fargo, North Dakota, I would want to want to go there," Rogers told Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune. "Same with an opportunity to work with LaTroy in the bullpen. ... I mean, that's a match made in heaven."
Shelton was hired in late October after the Twins parted ways with Rocco Baldelli following a 70-92 finish in 2025, their worst record since going 59-103 in 2016.
The organization conducted a massive fire sale at last year's trade deadline, shipping out more than a third of the roster including their top five relievers: Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland, Brock Stewart, and Danny Coulombe.
Young Arms Need Veteran Leadership
That's where Rogers and new bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins come in.
Hawkins pitched 21 seasons in the big leagues and appeared in 1,042 games, which ranks 10th all-time, and he's one of only 13 relievers in MLB history to record a save against all 30 teams.
He spent nine seasons with the Twins from 1995 to 2003 and has worked in the organization's front office as a special assistant since 2016, so he knows the culture and the expectations.
Rogers brings 10 years of big league experience and a career 3.34 ERA across 566 relief appearances with 626 strikeouts and 83 saves.
He's pitched for six different teams since leaving Minnesota, including stops in San Diego, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Chicago, so he's seen just about every bullpen situation imaginable.
That kind of knowledge is invaluable for a young pitching staff trying to find its footing.
The Twins' bullpen heading into 2026 is extremely thin on experience. Rogers will mix in with holdovers like Cole Sands, Justin Topa, and Kody Funderburk, none of whom have close to his track record.
Having a veteran presence who can show younger arms how to handle the mental grind of a 162-game season while working with a bullpen coach who pitched into his 40s could make a real difference as Minnesota tries to climb back into contention in the AL Central.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Shelton acknowledged that the 35-year-old version of Rogers won't be the same pitcher who was throwing 95 mph and racking up strikeouts during his first go-around in Minnesota, but he believes the veteran can still contribute in a big way both on the mound and in the clubhouse.
"The Taylor Rogers we knew in '18 and '19 is going to be different than this guy, but he's still a really good reliever and I think he's going to have a big impact in our bullpen not only pitching-wise but with the ability to lead our group," Shelton said.
For Rogers, the fit just felt right.
Coming back to an organization he knows, working with a manager he trusts, and learning from a bullpen coach with more than two decades of big league experience on his résumé made the decision easy.
The Twins have a lot of work to do to bounce back from last year's disappointing season, but adding experienced voices like Rogers and Hawkins to guide the next generation of arms is a step in the right direction.