Twins acquire reliever Eric Orze in trade with Rays for minor leaguer to begin bullpen rebuild

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins took a small step toward rebuilding their bullpen Tuesday by acquiring reliever Eric Orze in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for minor league pitcher Jacob Kisting.

Orze had a 3.02 ERA and three saves in 33 relief appearances last season for the Rays, with 19 walks, 40 strikeouts and a .244 opponents’ batting average in 41 2/3 innings. The 28-year-old right-hander also made 24 appearances at Triple-A Durham, posting a 2.20 ERA with 37 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings.

A cancer survivor, Orze was a fifth-round draft pick in 2020 by the New York Mets and made his major league debut for them on July 8, 2024.

During the week leading up to the MLB trade deadline on July 31, the Twins dealt away their top four relievers: Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Louis Varland and Brock Stewart.

Kisting, 22, was a 14th-round draft pick by the Twins in 2024. The right-hander had a 3.79 ERA with 23 walks and 77 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings over 30 appearances this year between Low-A Fort Myers and High-A Cedar Rapids.

In other roster moves, outfielders Jake Fraley and Christopher Morel were designated for assignment by the Rays, who traded infielder Tanner Murray and outfielder Everson Pereira to the Chicago White Sox for right-handers Yoendrys Gómez and Steven Wilson.

Tampa Bay also released right-hander Forrest Whitley and traded infielder Tristan Gray to the Boston Red Sox for minor league right-hander Luis Guerrero.

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