The Minnesota Twins signed three-time All-Star closer Liam Hendriks, steady left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin and competent utility man Gio Urshela all to minor league contracts in the offseason, but they will enter the new MLB campaign without any of these veterans in their organization.
Hendriks was granted his release after Minnesota informed him that he would not be on the Opening Day roster. Chafin and Urshela are opting out of their respective contracts with the Twins after learning the same news, per Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Some added experience could certainly be beneficial for a club that is rife with uncertainty, but the organization obviously wants to prioritize youth and homegrown talent during this transitional phase.
Nevertheless, it is fairly surprising to see the front office show Chafin the door before the 2026 season. The 35-year-old southpaw tallied a 2.41 ERA in 42 appearances with the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels in 2025. He was not at his best in spring training — allowed two runs and three walks in six innings pitched — but he is still one of the more credible relievers that Minnesota had at its disposal.
Both Liam Hendriks and Andrew Chafin are in the back-end of their respective big-league careers, but this team does not exactly have an abundance of riches in the bullpen. The Twins had one of the worst relief units in MLB last season and will miss the playoffs again this year unless they solve the problem.
Gio Urshela's departure is arguably easier to justify. The 34-year-old Colombian scuffled immensely with the Athletics last season, posting a .613 OPS and zero home runs in 197 plate appearances. Minnesota's position player group has the potential to surprise people if healthy, so one can see why Twins brass is cutting ties with Urshela.
When a franchise parts ways with its president of baseball operations only a couple of weeks before spring training, there is bound to be roster tinkering and experimenting. Regardless of record, this squad must obtain clarity by season's end. Otherwise, fan distrust will increase even further.
