Twins decline Colomé’s option, outright Refsnyder, claim pitcher

Friday, the Minnesota Twins made a series of roster moves with the offseason now underway.

The team announced it declined the 2022 club option on relief pitcher Alexander Colomé, making him a free agent. He was signed last offseason by the Twins but had a terrible start to his 2021 season before being demoted from his closer role. Overall, he pitched 65 innings for Minnesota with a 4.15 ERA, 58 strikeouts, 23 walks and 17 saves in 24 opportunities.

Additionally, the Twins outrighted outfielder Rob Refsnyder off the 40-man roster. He played in 51 games for Minnesota last season, hitting .245 with two home runs, 12 RBI and one stolen base after signing a minor league contract last offseason.

Finally, the team claimed right-handed pitcher Jharel Cotton off waivers from the Texas Rangers. The 29-year-old was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands and was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 20th round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of East Carolina University.

Last year, Cotton appeared in 23 games for the Rangers, going 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA over 30.2 innings with 30 strikeouts, 15 walks and a 1.40 WHIP. He also appeared in 24 games for Triple-A Round Rock last year, going 4-0 with a 3.00 ERA over 42 innings. Over parts of three major league seasons, he’s 13-10 with a 4.71 ERA in 189 innings for Texas and Oakland.

Minnesota’s 40-man roster is now at 31.