5:30pm: Márquez has an opt-out on August 25 and another in September, reports Darren Wolfson of KSTP.

3:40pm: The Twins and right-hander Germán Márquez have an agreement on a minor league deal, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic. The veteran righty will report to Triple-A St. Paul, per Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune.

Márquez, 31, was once a reliable big league starter. From 2017 to 2022, he logged 975 1/3 innings, sixth-most in the majors for that span. His 4.38 earned run average in that time doesn’t look too impressive but he was pitching his home games at Coors Field.

He’s been on a rough road since then. Tommy John surgery wiped out most of his 2023 and 2024 seasons. He made 26 starts last season but with a grisly 6.70 ERA. The Padres took a flier on him this year by signing him to a one-year deal with a $1.75MM guarantee but he posted a 5.26 ERA over 13 appearances. His 10.2% walk rate was higher than average and his 15.7% strikeout rate well below. He was designated for assignment and released last week.

For the Twins, there’s no harm on a minor league deal. Even if Márquez eventually makes the major league roster, he’ll be cheap. The Friars are on the hook for what remains of his salary. Minnesota would only have to pay him the prorated league minimum for however long he’s on the roster.

The big league rotation has taken some hits, as Joe Ryan just hit the injured list, joining Pablo López, David Festa, Mick Abel and Mike Paredes. That leaves them with Taj Bradley, Connor Prielipp, Dean Kremer, Bailey Ober and Zebby Matthews while guys like Kendry Rojas and Jack Anderson make up the optionable depth. If there’s another injury or the Twins need a spot starter, Márquez will be in the mix.

Photo courtesy of David Frerker, Imagn Images