Hours before Major League Baseball owners are expected to lock out the players, the Minnesota Twins have reportedly agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Dylan Bundy.
According to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, Bundy’s deal will be worth $4 million for the 2022 season and carry an $11 million option for 2023.
Bundy will be entering his eighth year in the majors and owns a 46-57 record with a 4.67 ERA. The Twins will also be Bundy’s third major league team after spending his first five seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and the last two with the Los Angeles Angels.
The 29-year-old was coming off a strong 2020 season last year but struggled to a 2-9 record and 6.06 ERA. Notable to Twins fans, he also puked on the mound during a start at Yankee Stadium last August.
Bundy’s metrics weren’t much better as he ranked in the 25th percentile in whiff percentage and the 32nd percentile in strikeout rate last season. But he was much better in 2020, when the Twins considered adding him at the trade deadline.
With Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober the only projected starters for the Twins next season, they needed to fill several spots in the rotation this winter. With the team’s previous interest in Bundy, they seem to see something they can tap into, giving pitching coach Wes Johnson another reclamation project.
