Taylor Rogers Should Pick the Minnesota Twins in MLB Free Agency

The Minnesota Twins would like to keep left-hander Taylor Rogers around for another season, and there is a strong case for why he should stay. Rogers wants to continue pitching in 2027 and has the Twins among his preferred destinations, according to Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune. 

A return is not guaranteed though. Rogers also lists the Toronto Blue Jays as a preferred option because his twin brother Tyler Rogers pitches there. Tyler finished 2026 with a 1.77 ERA across 74 appearances, and the two previously pitched together with the San Francisco Giants. The appeal of a reunion is real. But the case for Minnesota is just as compelling.

Rogers returned to the Twins last offseason on a one-year, $2 million deal after spending four seasons pitching for five other organizations. He came back with a specific goal in mind.

He wanted to reach 10 years of service time with the organization that drafted him and gave him his first six major league seasons. He also wanted to play for manager Derek Shelton, who was the Twins' bench coach from 2018 to 2019.

Almost everything played out the way he hoped. Rogers reached 10 years of service time in April and became Target Field's all-time leader in appearances with 202. He also remained on the active roster all season, the only member of Minnesota's bullpen to do so.

He made 65 appearances and posted a 4.33 ERA across 60 and a third innings, going 6-4 with 54 strikeouts and a 1.591 WHIP in a lower-leverage role. He now ranks eighth in Twins history with 384 pitching appearances and 11th with 52 saves.

Rogers also became one of the more important veteran voices in a bullpen that improved as the season went along.

Young pitchers Andrew Morris, Yoendrys Gomez and Travis Adams all showed development, and bullpen coach LaTroy Hawkins credited Rogers with playing a meaningful role in that growth behind the scenes, according to Nightengale. That kind of influence does not transfer easily to a new organization.

The Twins finished 77-85 and third in the AL Central. Rogers was not dominant statistically, but he was durable, consistent and invested in what Minnesota is building. Going to Toronto to pitch alongside his brother would be a sentimental choice.

Staying in Minnesota and continuing to help develop a young bullpen that still has room to grow would be the right one. Of course, it all depends on whether either team actually extends an offer.