The Twins added some bullpen depth on Saturday, signing right-hander Ron Marinaccio to a minor league deal after he cleared waivers and elected free agency. It's a low-risk, why-not move for Minnesota, and it's the latest stop on one of the stranger transaction logs in baseball this year.
Marinaccio, 31, isn't exactly a household name outside pinstripe circles, but Yankees fans remember him fondly. He broke into the league in 2022 with a 2.05 ERA over 44 innings, built almost entirely off a devastating changeup that got tagged a 'unicorn' pitch for how sharply it darted away from right-handed hitters. He spent three seasons in the Bronx before New York designated him for assignment in the fall of 2024, kicking off a journeyman stretch that's only accelerated.
This season alone has been a whirlwind. Marinaccio started with the Padres, got DFA'd at the All-Star break, had a brief four-game stint with the Pirates, then signed with the Reds — where things went sideways fast. According to MLB Trade Rumors, he allowed runs in all four appearances for Cincinnati, capped by a five-run meltdown against the Marlins, and the Reds designated him for assignment earlier this week.
So now it's Minnesota's turn to see if there's anything left to salvage. The Twins are stashing him at Triple-A St. Paul as pure organizational depth, not a bullpen savior. His velocity has reportedly held up, but his old vertical break has faded and he's leaned harder into a newly added cutter, dropping his four-seamer usage to a career-low 42.6% — signs of a pitcher still tinkering to find his old form.
There's no guarantee Marinaccio ever sniffs the majors in a Twins uniform. But bullpen alchemy is a numbers game, and Minnesota's front office clearly figures a former sub-3.00 ERA arm is worth a look on a deal with zero downside. Worst case, he's rotation-of-relievers filler at Triple-A. Best case, the Twins stumble into the reclamation project nobody else wanted to finish.