Minnesota Twins DFA Everyone’s Favorite Bearded Pitcher

Rocco Baldelli’s Minnesota Twins kicked off their 2025 regular season in St. Louis with a three-game series against the Cardinals. Weather impacted a pair of them, but the results were all the same. Minnesota looked hapless and got swept in the opening series.

Bailey Ober struggled to open the season, just as he had done last year on Opening Day against the Kansas City Royals. It was then on Randy Dobnak to save the day. Dobnak made the roster as the final member of the bullpen. He afforded Baldelli’s relief corps the opportunity to rest before the next series in Chicago starting on Monday.

Unfortunately the Twins are ruthless, and thanked Dobnak for it by sending him packing.

Randy Dobnak saves Bailey Ober and Twins for nothing

There has been an illness going around the Minnesota Twins clubhouse, and as Bailey Ober lined up to be the third starter, he spent the off day on Friday being sick. He wasn’t close to himself today, but took the mound anyways. That’s a rather curious decision for a team that needed a win after losing their first two games of the year.

Bailey Ober spent all day Friday sleeping and puking. Got an IV yesterday. Ryan Jeffers said Ober was nowhere close to full strength, hence the diminished stuff today.

Edouard Julien also was down with flu-like symptoms for several days.#MNTwins

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) March 30, 2025

Ober lasted just 2 2/3 innings while allowing eight runs on eight hits. He walked three and gave up a pair of home runs. His velocity was also notably down. After averaging 91.7 mph on his fastball last season, he often struggled to hit 90 mph on Sunday.

Randy Dobnak came out of the bullpen and turned in 5 1/3 innings of relief. That was sandwiched around a 58 minute rain delay, a practice the Twins would push on virtually no other pitcher. He allowed just a single run on a pair of hits and struck out one. Then, he lost his roster spot.

Source: Randy Dobnak has been DFA'd by the Minnesota Twins

— Ted (@tlschwerz) March 30, 2025

It’s a harsh reality for a player that the Minnesota Twins treat solely as an asset. Dobnak earned a $9.25 million contract extension prior to 2021 after pitching in the 2019 ALDS, and posting a 4.05 ERA across 10 starts in 2020. He then suffered a career-altering finger injury to his throwing hand and has been handled differently since.

The DFA (designated for assignment) exposes Dobnak to waivers. It’s virtually guaranteed that no team will claim him, and his $3 million salary (and $1 million buyout for 2026). This means he’ll go back to Triple-A and join the St. Paul Saints this week in Columbus.

It’s great that he earned his payday, but unfortunate that there is no real path to consistency with the organization moving forward. Dobnak made his return to the big leagues in 2024 while owning a 4.25 ERA across 133 1/3 innings at Triple-A.

New arm incoming for Minnesota Twins bullpen

With Dobnak vacating a spot in the Minnesota Twins bullpen, Rocco Baldelli will have a fresh arm in Chicago on Monday. Scott Blewett was a potential candidate for the group out of Spring Training, but it was Dobnak included solely for this situation.

Blewett has no minor league options remaining. If his contract is added to the 40-man roster, and he is optioned for Brock Stewart in a week or so, he is likely to be claimed off waivers.

Related: Reported Twins Buyer Hasn’t Backed Out Yet

The only healthy reliever on the Twins 40-man roster down on the farm is lefty Kody Funderburk. With Dobnak being DFA’d, they could add a different contract besides Blewett. Veterans Alex Speas and Anthony Misiewicz were among the final roster cuts this spring.