Former Minnesota Twins reliever Caleb Thielbar is leaving his hometown team, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs on New Year’s Eve.
Former Minnesota Twins reliever Caleb Thielbar has found a new home, agreeing to a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday evening.
A native of Randolph, Minn., Thielbar spent all eight of his major league seasons with the Twins, including his most recent tenure from 2020 to 2024. Over his career, Thielbar posted a 23-12 record with a 3.38 ERA, 347 strikeouts, and 107 walks across 320.0 innings over 347 games.
Thielbar’s Departure Thins Minnesota’s Left-Handed Relief Options
Thielbar was a key part of Minnesota’s bullpen in recent years, averaging 55 appearances per season over the last four years and even making 17 appearances in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. However, Thielbar struggled with injuries over the past two years, and his performance declined significantly last season. His ERA rose to 5.32, and his WHIP spiked to a career-high 1.56.
His walk rate also saw a sharp increase, from 5.0% in 2023 to 11.1% in 2024. Additionally, his chase rate (33.5%) and whiff rate (30.2%) had been strong in previous seasons but dropped to 26.7% and 24.7%, respectively, in 2024, according to Baseball Savant.
With Thielbar’s struggles, his departure was expected, but it also leaves the Twins with fewer left-handed relief options. Currently, Kody Funderburk and Brent Headrick are the only left-handed pitchers on the 40-man roster. The Twins also traded Jovani Morán to the Boston Red Sox on Christmas Eve for infielder Mickey Gasper.
While Thielbar will join fellow left-handed reliever Rob Zastryzny in Chicago, the Twins now face the task of finding a suitable replacement for him in their bullpen. One name that has been speculated is Danny Coulombe, but given the Twins’ payroll constraints and the rising cost of free agents, they may have to explore less experienced options for next season’s bullpen.
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