Twins Reportedly Signing Tyler Clippard to Bolster Bullpen
By Sean Facey
The bullpen was a ticking time bomb for the Minnesota Twins last year. They didn't have many reliable relief arms to go to in the late innings, and it ultimately came back to bite them.
Now, though, they seem to be trying to shore things up from a depth perspective. According to Jeff Passan, the Twins have agreed to a one-year, $2.75 million contract with Tyler Clippard.
Right-hander Tyler Clippard and the Minnesota Twins are in agreement on a one-year, $2.75 million contract, a source familiar with the deal tells ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 20, 2019
A two-time All-Star and 13-year MLB veteran, Clippard was one of the more intriguing relief options heading into the offseason.
He pieced together a remarkable campaign for the Cleveland Indians in 2019, posting a 2.90 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 62 innings of work. This, however, came on the heels of a three-year stretch in which he managed a rather pedestrian 3.98 ERA.
Along with re-signing Sergio Romo, the Twins have added another veteran right-handed reliever, signing 35-year-old Tyler Clippard to a one-year deal.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) December 20, 2019
Clippard had a 2.90 ERA and 64/15 K/BB ratio in 62 innings for Cleveland last season. ERA under 4.00 in 10 of the past 11 years.
He will certainly be something of a wild card for the Twins next year based on how he's performed over the last four seasons.
Clippard is a cheap gamble that could end up paying off for a bullpen in need of some serious help.