Taylor

Rogers

Rogers was tasked with protecting a one-run lead in the final frame and wound up serving up a walk-off homer to Bryan Reynolds a couple batters after Spencer Horwitz delivered a leadoff single. It was his first blown save of the season. It’s been a bizarre year for Minnesota’s bullpen as 11 different relievers have recorded at least one save and none of them have more than two on the year. It’s a stay-away situation for fantasy managers.

Andrew Morris started the ninth inning with a three-run lead for a save chance. He gave up a hit and walked three to bring in a run with two outs before Rogers was summoned for the final out. Rogers struck out the final batter to secure the win and pick up his second save. Despite Rogers’ save on Saturday, there remains very little clarity in the Twins’ save situation, with as many as five relievers in the mix.

Rogers is back in the mix for saves along with Luis Garcia and Justin Topa. He entered the game with one out in the ninth inning and struck out Yordan Alvarez before getting Christian Walker to ground out to end the game. Rogers is 35 and has a 1.55 WHIP in 20 appearances. It’s unlikely he runs with the job at this point of his career, so he’s really only worth rostering in AL-Only leagues.

Richie Palacios hit a two-run homer as the first batter Topa faced today. Topa then went on to give up a single and a walk with one out, getting him pulled in favor of Taylor Rogers. Rogers allowed one of the inherited runners to score while walking two batters. All of this came after Cole Sands pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings in a tie game, so it was a particularly encouraging day for those rostering Sands in the hopes of getting some saves from a Twins reliever.

Liam Hendriks had an opt-out in his contract and presumably informed the Twins that he would like to exercise that. The veteran allowed three runs on nine hits in seven innings this spring, while striking out five and walking five. His four-seam fastball averaged just 93.9 mph on Thursday against the Red Sox, and he gave up two hard-hit balls in one inning of work. With Hendriks no longer on the roster, the Twins could split the ninth inning between Cole Sands and Taylor Rogers, depending on the handedness of the hitters due up in the ninth.

Rogers is back in Minnesota, the spot where it all started for the 35-year-old. He forged a 3.38 ERA with a 53/23 K/BB ratio over his 50 2/3 innings with the Cubs and Reds in 2025, and he should be a high-leverage option for the Twins — maybe one who sees some save chances — in 2026.

The 35-year-old southpaw broke into the big leagues with the Twins in 2016 and racked up 50 saves over his six seasons there before beginning his tour of the National League in 2022. Rogers posted a 3.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and a 53/23 K/BB ratio over 50 2/3 innings between the Reds and Cubs in 2025. Given their current options, there’s a chance that Rogers could once again find himself at least in the conversation for saves at the back end of the Twins’ bullpen.

Brown’s inclusion represents the lone change for Chicago from their Wild Card Series roster against the Padres. The 26-year-old offers some additional long relief depth for the extended best-of-five series over Rogers, who was merely additional left-handed middle relief depth behind Drew Pomeranz and Caleb Thielbar at this juncture.

Rogers heads to Pittsburgh after posting a strong 2.45 ERA and 34/19 K/BB ratio across 33 innings (40 appearances) this season in his Reds debut. The experienced 34-year-old southpaw has made a staggering 549 appearances in the big leagues dating back to 2016. He also boasts 83 career saves during that span.