The Twins began restocking their bullpen — or perhaps made their starting rotation even more crowded — on Tuesday by signing their third free agent of the offseason. Tim Stauffer, a 32-year-old righthander who has spent his entire career with the Padres, agreed to a one-year, $2.2 million contract for 2015, the team announced.
Stauffer, 32, is a former starter who has spent the past two seasons in the bullpen after elbow surgery cost him an entire season in 2012. The fourth overall pick in the 2003 draft would like to be a starting pitcher again, and the Twins agreed to give him a chance to win a starting spot during spring training, with the understanding that he'll pitch out of the bullpen if he isn't one of the Twins' five best starters.
"He's had some success as a starter, so we've told him we will give him that opportunity and see where it lands," General Manager Terry Ryan said.
The Twins did the same for Anthony Swarzak last spring, with the righthander resuming his long-relief role after being beaten out for the rotation.
Does that mean Stauffer figures to inherit Swarzak's old role?
"We're going to sort it all out in Fort Myers," Ryan said. "He's been used in a lot of ways, so we can take a look at him just about anywhere."
That could also mean taking over Jared Burton's old role as a setup man in front of closer Glen Perkins. Stauffer's fastball registers in the low 90s, but he has struck out 131 batters in 135 innings the past two seasons, making him a late-inning candidate.
"He's got command, he can spin the ball and he has a good changeup," Ryan said. 'He can strike people out."