MN Twins Set to Debut New Pitching Acquisitions

Rocco Baldelli, Minnesota Twins
Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

On Thursday the Minnesota Twins rolled out Jose Urena as their bulk guy against the Athletics. It went about as well as you’d expect for a big leaguer on his fourth team this season.

Urena labored through five innings (90 pitches), allowing 6 earned runs on 7 hits in the worst appearance since he was brought in. The Athletics went on to win the game 8-3 to complete their three game sweep in Minneapolis, raising their record above that of the Twins.

Mick Abel to make debut for Minnesota Twins

Of course, Minnesota could have just started recently acquired pitching prospect Mick Abel, who would have been on normal rest. Instead, the Twins decided to bring him to Chicago, where his debut in a MN Twins uniform appears to be imminent.

Related: Rotation Reinforcements Incoming for Minnesota Twins

The most consequential return for any trade that the Minnesota Twins made at the deadline came from the Philadelphia Phillies, when Falvey dealt closer Jhoan Duran to the City of Brotherly Love in exchange for Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel.

While the former is a teenage catching prospect, the latter has already gotten his feet wet in the big leagues. In 89.1 total innings at Triple-A in 2025, Abel owns a 2.22 ERA and has dropped the walk rate to 3.8 BB/9. Across three starts for the St. Paul Saints (15.1 IP), since being acquired at the deadline, he owns a 1.76 ERA and 23/6 K/BB.

Mick Abel, 24, made his debut with the Philadelphia Phillies back in May. He made six underwhelming starts through the MLB rotation, producing a 5.04 ERA (6.28 FIP) with 21 strikeouts and 9 walks in 25 innings.

Abel was a consensus top-50 prospect across all of baseball, not that long ago, until his luster slipped following a tough 2024 Triple-A season where he finished with a 6.46 ERA and 6.5 BB/9 across 108.2 innings.

On Friday night, before Abel’s debut on Saturday, the Twins sent Jose Urena packing.

The 11-year veteran lasted just 11 games with the Twins. He allowed nine runs on 17 hits in 17 2/3 innings. Urena proved he couldn’t strike anyone out and the 4.1 BB/9 was indicative of an arm willing to issue free passes. He’ll now look for opportunity elsewhere and maybe the fifth time is the charm in 2025.

Taj Bradley on his way up for Twins debut too

The other key acquisition at the trade deadline, starting pitcher Taj Bradley, has not fared so well in triple A (7.53 ERA, 1.605 WHIP, 11.3 SO/9) since the Twins got him as part of their return package for Griffin Jax.

Nonetheless, it sounds like Bradley could be in line to start on Sunday, per Aaron Gleeman and his colleagues at The Athletic, something he revealed/discussed on Friday’s episode of Gleeman and the Geek.

“You are. You are going to see [Mick Abel and Taj Bradley] this weekend in Chicago. They’re both going to start, I believe, in Chicago…They haven’t said that but…[we] think it’s going to be Zebby Matthews Friday and then, in some order, Bradley and Abel or Abel and Bradley.”

Aaron Gleeman – Gleeman and the Geek Podcast

The Minnesota Twins don’t have much to play for down the stretch, but that means it can be a proving ground for young players. Let’s hope this weekend is just the beginning of many starts to come for both Abel and Bradley.

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