The Minnesota Twins finalized their squad for the season’s opening game on Thursday, featuring right-hander Randy Dobnak in a long relief role. This marks Dobnak’s first appearance on the opening roster for the major league team in four years.
Randy Dobnak was added to the Twins’ 40-man roster after the team returned Rule 5 draft pick Eiberson Castellano to the Philadelphia Phillies, just before their first game in St. Louis. Due to injuries sustained by relievers Brock Stewart (hamstring) and Michael Tonkin (shoulder), both of whom were placed on the 15-day injured list, a spot in the bullpen opened up for Dobnak. Known for his remarkable journey to major league baseball and his distinctive bespectacled and bearded appearance, Dobnak has gained a notable following.
Injuries to third baseman Royce Lewis (hamstring) and second baseman Brooks Lee (back) also led to their placements on the 10-day injured list. This allowed infielder Mickey Gasper and outfielder Dashawn Keirsey Jr. to secure their first opening day roster positions. Gasper joined the team in an offseason trade with Boston after making his major league debut with them the previous August.
Thirty-year-old Dobnak is set to earn $3 million this season, concluding the guaranteed period of a contract he signed a few days before the 2021 opening game. His extraordinary rise began after going undrafted from Alderson Broaddus University, an NCAA Division II school in West Virginia. Spotted by a Twins scout while playing in an independent league in Michigan, Dobnak worked as an Uber driver to make ends meet during his climb up the baseball ranks. He made his MLB debut with the Twins in 2019 and even started a game in the AL Division Series in New York that same year. However, a rare ligament injury in his throwing hand’s middle finger sidelined him in 2021. After two seasons spent in Triple-A, he made his return to the majors with the Twins last summer.
Supporting the Twins’ bullpen are Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Cole Sands, Jorge Alcala, Danny Coulombe, Louie Varland, and Justin Topa, backing a rotation led by Pablo López, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan, Chris Paddack, and Simeon Woods Richardson.
Gasper and Keirsey have joined backup catcher Christian Vázquez and infielder Edouard Julien on the bench. The lineup for the Twins in their opener against the Cardinals featured Matt Wallner in right field, Carlos Correa at shortstop, Byron Buxton in center field, Trevor Larnach as the designated hitter, Ryan Jeffers catching, Ty France at first base, Willi Castro at second base, Jose Miranda at third base, and Harrison Bader in left field, with López taking the hill as the starting pitcher.