Twins, Randy Dobnak agree to five-year contract extension
From independent ball to being an Uber driver to make ends meet in the minors, Randy Dobnak now has some multi-year security.
A few days ago, Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said right-hander Randy Dobnak had made the Opening Day roster. An 0.66 spring ERA surely helped. Now, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Twins and Dobnak have agreed to a five-year, $9.25 million contract extension with three option years.
Dobnak signed with the Twins out of the independent United Shore Professional Baseball League for $500 back in 2017. He spent nearly two years as an Uber driver before reaching the big leagues in 2019.
Over the rest of that season, Dobnak posted a 1.59 ERA with a 7.3 K/9 and a 1.6 BB/9 over nine appearances for the Twins (five starts) with a postseason start. Last season, he had a 4.05 ERA (5.2 K/9; 2.5 BB/9) over 10 starts (46.2 innings).
Dobnak originally would have been arbitration-eligible after the 2022 season, and hit free agency after the 2025 season. Assuming the deal starts this year the Twins have bought out his arbitration years at $1.85 million per season, with club options after that. Potential escalators may alter the value of the five years, depending on how they’re structured or more specifically how they’d vest based on things like starts, innings etc. But the Twins have given themselves cost certainty over what would’ve been Dobnak’s cost-controlled years anyway.
Dobnak will start the season in the Twins’ bullpen, but he’ll surely make some starts over the course of 162 games. He’s more of a great story than a great pitcher, but he definitely won’t have to drive Uber anymore.