Bailey Ober’s Last Start Raised a New Twins Question

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bailey Ober’s Last Start Raised a New Twins Question

Originally posted on Minnesota Twins on SI
By Alvin Garcia | Last updated Sep 28, 2026 7:15 PM ET

Bailey Ober’s final start gave the Minnesota Twins one more difficult result to weigh. He allowed six runs and 10 hits in five innings Saturday as the Twins lost 6-2 to the Texas Rangers. He finished 2026 with a 4.47 ERA.

The outing did not determine his future, but it brought a question into focus as Minnesota headed into the offseason: What role should Ober have in the 2027 rotation? MLB.com documented the outing and the uncertainty surrounding his next year.

Ober’s year included elbow inflammation and a spell on the injured list. He said he felt physically good at the finish, according to MLB.com, so it would be a mistake to assign every late struggle to an ongoing injury. His final start still offered data the club must evaluate, including an average four-seam fastball velocity of 88.1 mph that day.

A Crowded Rotation Changes the Calculation

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Ober is eligible for arbitration again, meaning his 2027 salary has not been settled. He made $5.2 million in 2026 and is scheduled to reach free agency after the 2027 campaign. The Twins must therefore judge his expected performance alongside his rising cost and the relatively short time left under team control. None of those factors alone requires Minnesota to move him.

The other names make that decision less straightforward. Joe Ryan, Pablo López and Dean Kremer are part of the veteran rotation picture, while Taj Bradley made a strong case for a place with 205 strikeouts and a 3.73 ERA in 31 starts. Zebby Matthews and Connor Prielipp give the club additional young options. López’s recovery from Tommy John surgery adds another variable because his availability at the start of 2027 has not been guaranteed. MLB.com’s Bradley report and the team depth chart show the breadth of the group, though a depth chart is not an Opening Day commitment.

Ober also worked in relief once late in the year, but one appearance should not be treated as an announced conversion. A bullpen assignment, another rotation opportunity and a trade are all conceivable outcomes. The Twins have not said they are shopping him, and there is no confirmed transaction to report.

The Next Move Will Reveal Minnesota’s Priorities

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If the Twins believe Ober can rebound, retaining an experienced starter could protect them against injuries or delays elsewhere in the rotation. If they believe younger pitchers have passed him, they may consider whether his remaining year of control has greater value in a different role or as part of a trade. Both are evaluations, not reported decisions.

His usage after returning from the injured list is another part of the picture. Six of his final 11 starts came with at least six days of rest, according to MLB.com. The club will need to decide whether that pattern was a temporary way to manage 2026 or a consideration for how it builds next year’s staff.

The most useful question is not whether one poor finale erased Ober’s value. It is how the Twins project his innings, performance, and cost against their other choices. His last start made that offseason evaluation harder to postpone, but only Minnesota’s roster moves will show the answer.

This article first appeared on Minnesota Twins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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