The Minnesota Twins have acquired right-handed reliever Justin Lawrence from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for cash considerations, according to Sports.
The American League Central club added the sidewinding pitcher to their roster after the Pirates recently designated him for assignment.
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Struggles in Pittsburgh
Before the trade, Lawrence struggled during his stint with the Pirates. He allowed 13 earned runs and issued 12 walks over 22 innings on the mound last week.
His career ERA stands at 5.43, a metric that may have been negatively impacted by playing home games at Coors Field during his four seasons with the Colorado Rockies.
Twins Bullpen Issues
The Minnesota bullpen has experienced significant performance issues prior to this transaction.
Twins relievers currently rank 25th in ERA and 29th in strikeout rate across the major leagues, placing them ahead of only the Washington Nationals.
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Journalist Anthony Franco analyzed the roster move and noted the structural challenges facing the Minnesota pitching staff.
"It’s the latest dart throw for a patchwork Minnesota bullpen.
Twins relievers are 25th in ERA and 29th in strikeout rate (above only the Nationals)," wrote Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors.
"They also had one of the highest walk rates in May.
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That was expected given the personnel, as the Twins have done very little to replace the various relievers they shipped out at last year’s deadline."
