Addison Reed agrees to 2-year deal with Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins agreed to a two-year deal with 29-year-old reliever Addison Reed on Saturday, according to multiple sources.

While the Twins have yet to confirm the deal, pending physical, Reed is assumed to be the teams primary setup man for the next two seasons.

While Reed saw some action closing out games last season with the Mets, he was used primarily in a setup role once he was traded to the Red Sox mid season. He finished 2017 with a 2.84 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and healthy K/9 of 9 splitting his time in Queens, N.Y. and Boston.

Reed’s career numbers are solid, with a 3.40 ERA and even better 3.18 FIP, but his biggest asset is his ability to mow batters down. With a career 9.50 K/9, combined with an incredibly low walk rate of 2.3 percent, Addison Reed attacks hitters and forcing them to hit his pitch. According to Fangraphs, he ranked seventh-overall in first pitch strikes among relievers.

Reed is the third reliever Minnesota has added with closing experience, signing veteran closer Fernando Rodney, and lefty Zach Duke earlier this offseason. And while the club has already confirmed Rodney will open the season as the team’s closer, adding Reed to the mix gives the club solid insurance to Rodney – who has been shaky in recent memory.

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No matter who ends up closing for the Twins in 2018, the front office has done an excellent job of addressing their bullpen issues, adding a strike-thrower like Reed. Twins struck out the fifth-fewest batters in 2017, adding Addison Reed to the mix should help push that number back in the right direction.

The Twins still have plenty of money to still attract one of the leagues top starters, as Minnesota is still in the hunt for Yu Darvish as well as Jake Arrieta and Lance Lynn.