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AL Central Contender Adds Left-Hander for Stretch Run

The Minnesota Twins announced Monday that they have claimed left-handed pitcher Cole Irvin off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles. The Twins designated right-hander Randy Dobnak for assignment to make room for Irvin. Per Dan Hayes of The Athletic, Irvin, 30, will join the roster tomorrow. Irvin will not be eligible for Minnesota’s postseason roster as he will be acquired after September 1. Irvin will give the Twins some much-needed rotation depth for the final two weeks of the season.

Twins Claim Cole Irvin Off Waivers from Orioles

Irvin had an inconsistent season with Baltimore after being acquired by the Oakland Athletics two offseasons ago. He appeared in 25 games (16 starts) for the Orioles, going 6-5 with a 4.86 ERA, one save, 25 walks and 76 strikeouts. From 2021-22, Irvin put a 4.11 ERA in 62 starts along with a 16.8 percent strikeout rate but a respectable 5.2 percent walk rate. His Baltimore tenure got off to a rough start where he coughed up 15 runs in 12 2/3 innings. The Orioles demoted Irvin to Triple-A Norfolk after three appearances. He spent the remainder of the 2023 season as a swingman.

He had 16 starts and nine relief appearances this season. In 107 1/3 innings, Irvin’s 4.86 ERA came with a 16.2 percent strikeout rate against a 5.3 percent walk rate.

An Injury-Ravaged Twins Roster

The Minnesota Twins are currently relying on three rookies – Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa, and Zebby Matthews – to fill out their rotation behind Pablo López and Bailey Ober. Adding Cole Irvin could provide a veteran presence in either a starting or long relief role. Irvin is an attractive option due to his relatively low cost, earning $2 million this season, and his arbitration-eligible status won’t break the bank. However, it’s worth noting that Irvin is out of minor league options, meaning he must remain on the Twins’ roster for the remainder of the season and throughout the offseason. Although Irvin hasn’t started a game since August 27, he did throw three innings on September 2, demonstrating his ability to pitch multiple innings if needed. If called upon, Irvin could potentially pitch up to five innings, making him a valuable asset for the Twins.

After a standout year at Oregon, Irvin was a fifth-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016. Irvin made his MLB debut in 2019, then the Phillies traded him to Oakland before the 2021 season.

Main Photo: © Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Matt Graves, Site Manager

Matt Graves, Site Manager

Matt Graves is an experienced baseball writer, and co-manager of LWOS Baseball. He is a graduate of the Radio Broadcasting program at Fanshawe College who has worked as a writer in radio, journalism, and digital media.

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