Griffin Jax Floated as a Possible Minnesota Twins Starter Again

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Griffin Jax, Minnesota Twins
Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Griffin Jax has been among the best relievers in baseball over the past couple of seasons. While Jhoan Duran struggled at times in 2024, it was Jax that Rocco Baldelli leaned on more heavily.

The Minnesota Twins bullpen isn’t exactly overflowing with big arms, so his steady presence in the bullpen has acted as the manager’s late-inning baby blanket. But if Jax had it his way, he might prefer to join the Twins’ rotation, rather than continue in his role as a shutdown reliever.

More Griffin Jax to the bullpen rumors…

Minnesota took Griffin Jax in the third round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft. He made his big league debut in 2021, as a starter. Across 18 games (14 starts), Jax threw 82 innings and posted an abysmal 6.37 ERA, 1.354 WHIP and 67 ERA+

He moved to a full-time bullpen role in 2022, and became a different pitcher. Since the switch, Jax’ numbers are eye-popping (see below). But his 2024 was downright incredible. In 72 innings of relief last season, Jax posted a 1.94 ERA, 0.873 WHIP, 12 SO/9 and a 205 ERA+.

  • Griffin Jax since 2022 (208.2 IP): 3.06 ERA, 2.77 FIP, 1.030 WHIP, 10.4 SO/9, 135 ERA+

Jax was also a starter once, back in 2021, and it didn’t go swimmingly. His ERA was over six and he gave up two and a half homers per nine innings. But, like Hoffman, things were different then. Jax averaged 92.6 mph on the fastball, not 97.1 mph, and his fastball had three inches less ride back then. He had the sweeper, but it was 5 mph slower in 2021. He’s added a sinker, changed the curveball to more of a power curve, and finally pushed his changeup grade over the average by focusing more on the velocity than the shape. Jax now has two fastballs, two breaking balls and a useable changeup in his bag, and he locates all of them really well. He admitted this year that he’s open to starting, so the question is only how many ticks he’ll lose off the fastball if he has to pitch deeper into games. One spring could sort that out pretty quickly.

Eno Sarris on Griffin Jax (The Athletic)

At The Athletic’s Eno Sarris points out, the dream for Jax is largely related to just how good his stuff truly is. He has a starter’s arsenal in the bullpen, and each of his pitches are effective. Effort levels won’t be the same as he tries to work multiple innings, but the diminished velocity could be offset by how he attacks hitters.

As a starter in 2021, Jax averaged 92.6 mph on his fastball. That sat at 97.1 mph last season. There will be a decrease, but his development should mean that it won’t be by that drastic of an amount.

The dream for Minnesota would be to get the same quality from Jax out of the rotation. He is a stuff+ darling, and it’s probably not lost on him that there’s money to be made starting as well. The Twins will need to account for his lack of innings, but they could do that by sprinkling in David Festa and Zebby Matthews in his spot as well.

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Both Festa and Matthews flashed at times last season, but nothing about their rookie campaigns scream ‘top of the rotation’. Theoretically, Jax may be the best chance the Twins have to add a quality starter this offseason. Falvey will attempt to trade Chris Paddack, but it’ll take a lot more than that to clear room for proven impact starting pitcher.

Why shouldn’t the Minnesota Twins transition Jax to a starter role?

Moving Griffin Jax to the bullpen comes with A LOT of risk. If an experiment like that fails, not only would the Minnesota Twins starting rotation be in big trouble, but their bullpen would also lose its best pitcher too. Jhoan Duran is someone that the Twins may entertain trading.

At that point, we are in full rebuild mode… with no cash to build. Last season there was hope that Minnesota would have one of the better bullpens in baseball. That possibility was quickly thwarted due to injuries and ineffectiveness.

Minnesota would need to find a candidate capable of replacing Jax in the bullpen. It’s probably Louie Varland? He’ll probably give up on his starter dreams this offseason, but he hasn’t proven he can be effective in relief, let alone dominant, like Jax.

Beyond Varland, there aren’t a ton of likely candidates blossoming into big league readiness. Not to mention, Derek Falvey has never really spent on relief help. If Griffin Jax was able to successfully transition back into a starter role, it could be one of the best offseason moves in baseball this winter.

Related: Minnesota Twins Veteran Makes Offseason All-MLB Trade Rumor Team

Unfortunately, if it doesn’t work… it has the chance of literally sinking any hopes the Minnesota Twins have at making the 2025 MLB Postseason. Another lost summer would probably cost Rocco Baldelli his job.

So… how risky are the Twins willing to play this offseason. We know the answer to that question, when it comes to free agency. But the Jax + starter question is only the start of a laundry list this organization has to answer over the next few months.

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