Dobnak's contract was selected from Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday.
He will take Diego Castillo's 40-man roster spot on the final day of the season after being designated for assignment less than two weeks ago. Dobnak may not hold his 40-man roster spot all offseason, as he logged a 5.87 ERA and 1.83 WHIP in 7.2 innings in the majors this season and will turn 30 in January. Dobnak had a 4.25 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 134 strikeouts in 133.1 innings at Triple-A this season.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Outrighted to Triple-A
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The Twins outrighted Dobnak to Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.
Dobnak was removed from the 40-man roster earlier this week but will remain in the organization for now after passing through waivers unclaimed. The righty made it back to the majors this season for the first time in three years, allowing five runs over 7.2 innings during his brief time with the Twins.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Exits 40-man roster
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The Twins designated Dobnak for assignment Monday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Cole Irvin, who has been claimed off waivers. Dobnak made it back to the majors briefly in 2024 for the first time since 2021, allowing five runs over 7.2 frames covering four relief appearances. Given his $2.25 million salary, Dobnak is a good bet to pass through waivers unclaimed.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Sent back to minors
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The Twins optioned Dobnak to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday.
Dobnak wasn't going to be available for at least a day or two after throwing three scoreless relief innings in Sunday's loss to the Guardians. He'll cede his spot on the 26-man active roster to left-hander Steven Okert (personal), who was reinstated from the bereavement list.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Summoned from Triple-A
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The Twins selected Dobnak's contract from Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday.
Dobnak will join the Twins for the first time since the 2021 season after posting a 3.61 ERA and 1.45 WHIP through 99.2 innings at Triple-A.Though he's served primarily as a starter in the minor leagues, he'll likely operate out of the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever while with Minnesota. In order to create space on the 40-man roster, the Twins transferred Alex Kirilloff (back) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Expected to be called up
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The Twins are expected to call up Dobnak from Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday, Phil Miller and Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune report.
Dobnak hasn't pitched in the majors since 2021, having had to remake himself into a slider and changeup pitcher after permanent ligament damage in his right middle finger left him unable to throw his sinker. He's been on fire lately at St. Paul, collecting a 1.70 ERA and 42:16 K:BB over 42.1 innings covering his last eight starts. It's not clear what role the Twins have planned for Dobnak, but he could provide innings protection behind their starter for Tuesday's game against the Mets, David Festa.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Shifted to minors camp
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The Twins reassigned Dobnak to minor-league camp Wednesday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.
Dobnak battled finger injuries for the majority of last season but still managed to pitch 20 innings at the Triple-A level, logging a 5.40 ERA and 1.70 WHIP while there. Luckily, his finger problems seem to have subsided over the offseason. He will return to Triple-A St. Paul to start the year and has a chance to return to the majors if he gets off to a strong start.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Throwing without finger pain
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Dobnak's oft-injured finger has been pain-free all winter, and he's been throwing bullpen sessions without issue, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. "I think we're way over the hump now. I've been down here for a month. I threw live Friday, that was probably my 10th bullpen," Dobnak said. "I've been slinging it fine."
Dobnak had ligaments called pulleys in his right middle finger rupture over the past two years, which has led him to appear in just 30 games during that span. Dobnak does not have great velocity, but he generated ground balls at a high rate before his injury. His success was largely due to his sinker, and the Star Tribune report says he's had to modify the pitch with more horizontal break due to the damaged finger. He'll need to re-establish himself at Triple-A before getting another shot at the majors, and his damaged finger raises serious doubts he can reclaim his prior form.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Assigned to Triple-A
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Dobnak cleared waivers Friday and was assigned to Triple-A St. Paul, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Dobnak has spent all of this season on the 60-day injured list and found little success during his rehab assignment, recording a 9.35 ERA over 8.2 innings for St. Paul. Unless he can put together some form of consistent success in the minors and stay healthy, the 27-year-old might not regain a spot on the 40-man roster despite being under contract with the Twins through at least 2025.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Dropped from 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Twins reinstated Dobnak (finger) from the 60-day injured list Wednesday and placed him on outright waivers, Darren Wolfson of Channel 5 Saint Paul reports.
Dobnak, who has been on the 60-day injured list all season after experiencing multiple setbacks in his recovery from the right middle finger discomfort that plagued him in 2021, was nearing the end of the 30-day rehab window, and the Twins didn't have room for him on the big-league roster. He didn't help his cause by finding little success over his eight-appearance rehab assignment that included stops at three affiliates. Upon moving up to Triple-A St. Paul on Aug. 28, Dobnak was roughed up for nine earned runs on 11 hits and eight walks over 8.2 innings. Since he's still owed approximately $7 million on the five-year, $9.25 million contract extension he inked in March 2021, Dobnak will presumably accept the outright assignment and stick around at Triple-A rather than electing free agency.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Rehabbing at Triple-A
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Dobnak (finger) struck out two and allowed one earned run on one hit and no walks over two innings of relief in his rehab appearance Sunday with Triple-A St. Paul.
Dobnak has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in his three appearances since shifting his rehab assignment to Triple-A on Aug. 28, so the Twins are seemingly preparing him to make his return from the 60-day injured list as a multi-inning reliever. The right-hander struggled to find the strike zone (six walks) over his first two outings at Triple-A, but he did well to limit the free passes Sunday.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Rehab assignment on tap
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Dobnak (finger) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment Thursday, Darren Wolfson of Channel 5 Saint Paul reports.
Dobnak has been sidelined since late in the 2021 season and his endured multiple setbacks in his recovery from lingering discomfort in his right middle finger. According to MLB.com, Dobnak ruptured two of the pulley tendons in his finger, and while a surgical fix is an option, the 27-year-old has been reluctant to go that route since there isn't any precedent for baseball players having such a procedure and resuming their careers. At least since he received a cortisone shot in the finger July 1, Dobnak seems to be progressing well, as he's been ramping up for nearly a month and reached an important milestone last Thursday, when he threw a live batting practice session. The Twins will likely have Dobnak get stretched out for a potential starting role during what could be a month-long rehab assignment, but it's more likely he pitches out of the bullpen if he rejoins the big club in September.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Receives cortisone shot
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Dobnak (finger) received a cortisone shot Saturday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
Dobnak has been dealing with a right middle finger injury over the first few months of the 2022 season, and he's sustained several setbacks in his recovery process. He'll head back to the Twins' alternate spring training facility in the coming days and said that he hopes to avoid another surgery. However, it's not yet clear when the right-hander will return to game action.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Resumes bullpen sessions
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Dobnak (finger) threw a 15-pitch bullpen session at about 75 percent intensity Wednesday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Dobnak has yet to pitch this season while dealing with a right middle finger injury which dates back to late last year, and he also suffered a setback in late May. The right-hander is now progressing in his throwing program but appears unlikely to return from the injured list within the next few weeks.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Suffers setback
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Dobnak suffered a setback with his finger over the last few weeks, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
He was dealing with a right middle finger injury, and that injury dates back to the end of last season. Dobnak should be considered out indefinitely.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Lands on 60-day injured list
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Dobnak (finger) was placed on the 60-day injured list Monday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Dobnak had been shut down with what the Twins referred to as discomfort in his right middle finger, but it looks as though the issue may be worse than discomfort. He missed most of last season with a strain in the same finger, and he'll now be ineligible to return before early June.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Shut down with more finger soreness
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Dobnak has been shut down from throwing due to continued discomfort in his right middle finger, MLB.com reports. "I think we're resetting right now in a way and allowing his finger to rest," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.
Dobnak struggled with a finger injury (a full tear of the A4 pulley in his right middle finger) for most of last season, so it's a real concern that he's having the same issue as spring training begins. He's likely out indefinitely.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Transferred to 60-day IL
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Dobnak (right middle finger strain) was placed on the 60-day injured list Saturday.
The move clears a spot for Jovani Moran on the 40-man roster. Dobnak won't pitch again this season.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Out with finger injury
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Dobnak will not make his scheduled start Thursday and will be placed on the 10-day injured list with a right middle finger strain, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.
It sounds like the same finger injury that sidelined Dobnak much of the season, and it could prevent him from taking the mound again this year. Andrew Albers will be called up from Triple-A, but it's not clear if he'll start Thursday.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Crushed in return
Rotowire
Dobnak (1-7) allowed five runs on six hits over seven innings Friday, striking out two without walking a batter and taking a loss against the Rays.
It was a very up-and-down outing for Dobnak, who made his first start since June 19 after missing time with a finger injury. The Rays tallied all five runs and six hits during the second and third innings but the 26-year-old righty retired the last 15 batters he faced. He actually lowered his ERA slightly to 7.64 alongside a 27:12 K:BB through 50.2 innings. Dobnak is lined up to take the mound in Cleveland next week.
