After Reds sweep, Twins promoting 2 power arms ahead of Mets series

AL EastBlue JaysOriolesRaysRed SoxYankeesAL CentralGuardiansRoyalsTigersTwinsWhite SoxAL WestAngelsAstrosAthleticsMarinersRangersNL EastBravesMarlinsMetsNationalsPhilliesNL CentralBrewersCardinalsCubsPiratesRedsNL WestDiamondbacksDodgersGiantsPadresRockiesScores & ScheduleStandingsPodcastsThe Windup NewsletterFantasyMLB ProspectsMLB OddsMLB PicksPower RankingsFans Speak UpTop ProspectsMLB Season The Twins are promoting left-handed pitcher Kendry Rojas, pictured, as well as left-handed prospect Connor Prielipp. Brace Hemmelgarn / Minnesota Twins / Getty Images Share articleFresh off a series sweep at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds, the Minnesota Twins are bringing two hard-throwing left-handed prospects to New York. The Twins plan to promote Kendry Rojas to the big-league roster in time for Tuesday’s series opener at the New York Mets, according to a team source. The Twins will also add left-handed prospect Connor Prielipp to the team’s taxi squad Tuesday, according to multiple team sources. The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman ranked Rojas the team’s No. 9 overall prospect in his preseason top-40 rankings. He named Prielipp the team’s fifth-best prospect. The Twins are expected to be without reliever Kody Funderburk, who will go on the paternity list. Rojas and Prielipp could offer the Twins bullpen a pair of desperately needed power arms. Their arrival comes after the team’s bullpen faltered twice in the late innings over the weekend in Cincinnati’s series sweep. Despite dynamite starts from Taj Bradley and Bailey Ober on Saturday and Sunday, the Twins’ relievers blew saves on consecutive days, leading to backbreaking losses. Justin Topa, Eric Orze and Cole Sands each allowed a run in Saturday’s 5-4 loss. Rookie Andrew Morris blew a save try Sunday when he surrendered three runs. After the Twins tied the score with a ninth-inning rally of their own, Garrett Acton yielded three unearned runs in a 7-4 loss to the Reds in 10 innings. The combination of a shaky bullpen and even worse infield defense harmed the Twins multiple times during the team’s current four-game losing streak. Saturday’s game-winning rally was keyed when shortstop Brooks Lee couldn’t field a slow grounder. Acquired in a trade that sent Louis Varland to Toronto in August, Rojas said he felt more settled in with the Twins this spring. He’s pitched six scoreless innings for the St. Paul Saints this season with five strikeouts. Acknowledging he struggled to grip the different ball used at Triple A last August, an adjustment he felt like he made this offseason, Rojas produced a 6.59 ERA in 27 1/3 innings after the trade. The team’s minor-league pitcher of the year for 2025, Prielipp is off to an even better start than Rojas. Prielipp, a second-round pick in the 2022 draft, has a 2.30 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings at St. Paul. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Dan Hayes is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the Minnesota Twins. Dan joined The Athletic after 5 1/2 years at NBC Sports Chicago and eight years at The North County Times, where he covered the Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres, four World Series, the NBA Finals, NHL Stanley Cup Final, NASCAR, UFC, Little League World Series, PGA and the NFL. Follow Dan on Twitter @DanHayesMLB