Minnesota Twins

Mick Abel

SP

The designation the Twins provided for Abel's elbow injury is inflammation, and it sounds like no additional testing will be required. There's a good chance Abel will still need more than a minimum stint on the IL, but a long-term absence appears unlikely at this juncture.

Kody Funderburk

RP

Funderburk made things interesting, but he managed to get the job done for his first save of the season. The Twins utilized Justin Topa and Cole Sands earlier in the contest, and Taylor Rogers may have been unavailable after pitching three times in the previous four days, leaving the bullpen short staffed. This was a fifth straight scoreless outing for Funderburk, who has pitched three hitless innings while issuing four walks in that span. He has a 3.18 ERA and 6:6 K:BB over 5.2 innings while adding a 1-1 record and three holds so far. While he may continue to see some high-leverage work, his early performance suggests his pitching will cause some stress. Funderburk is the fourth Twins pitcher to log a save this season, leaving no clarity to who will get the bulk of the closing duties.

Royce Lewis

3B

Lewis has been on the injured list since last Saturday due to a sprained left knee. The Twins haven't revealed how long they plan to keep the 26-year-old in the minors, but the fact that he's been cleared to play in games just a week after suffering the injury could point to him returning when eligible Tuesday.

Travis Adams

RP

Adams has been sidelined all season with a triceps issue that first popped up in early March. Given the long layoff, he's sure to require multiple rehab starts before the Twins decide to add him to the big-league roster or keep him in the minors.

Cody Laweryson

RP

Since giving up three earned runs in his season debut, Laweryson has allowed just one hit and zero walks while striking out six batters over five innings and recording the first save of his MLB career. Laweryson is one of five Twins relievers with a save this season, so there is still plenty of competition for high-leverage work in Minnesota's bullpen even with the 27-year-old temporarily out of the picture.

David Festa

SP

Festa recently resumed a throwing program after being shut down in late February due to a right shoulder impingement. However it sounds like he'll need several weeks before he can begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Festa was already coming back from thoracic outlet syndrome, which he dealt with last September, so expect the Twins to be cautious with his return.

Cory Lewis

SP

Lewis strained his right shoulder prior to reporting to spring training and only recently began playing catch, so he'll need more time to increase his throwing distance off flat ground before graduating to mound work. The 25-year-old was cut from big-league camp Thursday and will likely serve as a swingman at Triple-A St. Paul once he's fully healthy.

Julian Merryweather

RP

After signing a minor-league deal with Minnesota in February, Merryweather had been attending big-league camp as a non-roster invitee and was expected to compete for a spot in the Twins' Opening Day bullpen. He never made headway in the job battle, however, as he strained his left hamstring during his first Grapefruit League appearance Feb. 24 and has yet to pitch since. Merryweather has since resumed running and has been playing catch, but he could be headed for a stint on Triple-A St. Paul's injured list to begin the season.

Pablo Lopez

SP

Lopez underwent an internal brace procedure Wednesday -- rather than a full Tommy John surgery -- to shorten his recovery process, but he will still be forced to miss the entire 2026 season. His move to the 60-day IL will create a spot on the 40-man roster for Zak Kent, who was claimed off waivers from the Cardinals on Thursday.

Matt Canterino

SP

The right-hander underwent shoulder surgery last March and continues to work through his recovery. Canterino hasn't seen game action at any level since 2022 due to the recurring shoulder problems, but he showcased his upside at the Double-A level that year with a 1.83 ERA and 13.2 K/9 over 34.1 innings.