The Twins have activated left-hander Connor Prielipp and righty Cole Sands off the 15-day injured list, according to Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com. In corresponding moves, they’ve optioned Jack Anderson to Triple-A St. Paul and placed Mike Paredes on the 15-day IL with an oblique strain.
Prielipp went down with a left middle finger blister on July 9th. He returns after a near-minimum absence and will presumably take up a spot in the back of the Twins’ rotation, as he had before the injury. In 66 2/3 innings over 13 starts, Prielipp has a 5.00 ERA, although his 4.24 expected ERA and 3.98 SIERA paint a more favorable picture. He’s also running an above-average 24.1% strikeout rate, while his 60.1% strand rate is well-below league average and hints at a better performance under the surface of the 5.00 ERA.
A second-round pick by Minnesota in 2022, Prielipp has gotten an extended look in the Majors this year in part because of the Twins’ rather quiet offseason. Following last year’s fire sale at the deadline and facing a reduced payroll, the team did not add any starting pitching entering 2026. When Mick Abel went down with right elbow inflammation in late April, Prielipp was recalled to take his rotation spot and has held onto it since then.
The Twins are currently 52-54 and only two games out of a Wild Card spot in an underwhelming American League. As noted by MLBTR’s Steve Adams in our Trade Deadline Outlook series, Minnesota is expected to toe the line between selling off rentals and bringing in more controllable pieces. Abel’s injury ultimately required arthroscopic elbow surgery, which will keep him out for the remainder of the season. Thus, even if Joe Ryan stays put at the deadline, it’s likely that the now-healthy Prielipp will stick in the rotation, if only for the regular season.
In contrast to Prielipp, Sands has a longer track record as a member of the Twins’ bullpen. Since debuting in 2022, he’s thrown 207 1/3 innings with a serviceable 4.21 ERA and a better-than-average 6.9% walk rate. Sands struck out 29.1% of opponents in 2024, but he’s settled into a 21.5% strikeout rate since the start of 2025.
Sands returns after missing three months with a right forearm strain. He was running a 4.63 ERA in 12 appearances before landing on the IL on May 2nd, retroactive to April 29th. He made one rehab appearance in early June but was shut down after continuing to experience arm issues. Sands started a new rehab assignment this month and has since thrown seven scoreless innings while striking out eight hitters. He figures to work in middle relief as the season goes on.
Turning to Paredes, the 25-year-old was selected to the 40-man roster at the end of May and has a 4.72 ERA in 34 1/3 innings in his first taste of big league action. He’s started in five of his nine appearances while working as a bulk reliever in the other four. The results haven’t been encouraging, as Paredes is striking out just 12.3% of opponents and having trouble keeping the ball in the yard, allowing 1.57 home runs per nine innings.
Paredes was set to start yesterday’s game but was ultimately scratched after sustaining the oblique strain during his pre-game warmups. Kendry Rojas drew the start in his place and impressed by throwing four scoreless innings. It’s unclear how long Paredes will be out of action, though the team will provide details as he undergoes further tests. Oblique strains require anywhere from 2-3 weeks if they’re mild to more than a month if they are moderate or severe.
Photo courtesy of Jesse Johnson, Imagn Images
