The Minnesota Twins should examine a negotiated return for Anthony Banda before deciding that his roster spot belongs elsewhere.
The left-hander’s 2026 ended after lat surgery in July. He remains eligible for arbitration, leaving Minnesota with a choice about retaining a veteran whose availability and projected contribution require careful evaluation.
This is an offseason recommendation. A decision should follow the club’s medical information and its assessment of the alternatives available for the bullpen.
The Twins have reason to seek a workable agreement. They also have reason to establish a limit on how much money and roster flexibility they commit before Banda demonstrates that he can pitch effectively again.
Banda’s Record Supports Another Conversation
Banda finished with a 4.46 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across 34.1 innings in 2026. He struck out 33 batters and walked 15 in 39 appearances.
Those numbers represented a step back from 2025, when he posted a 3.18 ERA across 65 innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers. His recent record includes both useful production and a shorter, less effective follow-up.
The strongest case for keeping him comes from that broader body of work. A healthy Banda could give Minnesota another experienced left-handed option without requiring the club to find every replacement externally.
The price remains part of the evaluation. Just Baseball’s arbitration model projected a $2.1 million salary for 2027. That projection is an estimate; his 2027 salary remains unsettled.
Twins On SI’s arbitration coverage placed Banda among the decisions facing the club. Negotiating before the tender deadline could give both sides a chance to agree on terms they find acceptable.
Medical Progress Must Shape the Commitment
A surgery date alone cannot establish when a pitcher will be ready to handle a Major League workload. Minnesota needs a current assessment of Banda’s rehabilitation before treating him as part of its available bullpen.
The relevant questions are practical: when he can resume competitive pitching, what workload he can handle and whether the pitches that made him useful have returned.
Those answers should also guide the roster decision. The Twins’ 40-man constraints give every commitment an opportunity cost as the organization considers additions and prospect protection.
Meanwhile, A.J. Minter and Taylor Rogers have expiring contracts. Their free-agent decisions affect how much experienced left-handed help Minnesota must replace.
The recommendation is to pursue an agreement if the medical outlook supports a useful 2027 contribution at an acceptable cost. A lengthy expected absence or a stronger alternative at a similar price would support moving on.
Retaining Banda would still leave the Twins with additional bullpen work. His recovery should determine the size of his projected role, while the organization maintains enough depth to respond if that recovery takes longer than expected.
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