According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, Minnesota Twins right-handed pitcher Louie Varland will likely open the season in a relief role. Hayes noted that Varland could be built up for a long relief role, but if everything goes to plan with the health of their other starters, Varland will be deployed out of the bullpen for the majority of the season. The 27-year-old opened the 2024 campaign in the rotation but struggled as he posted a hefty 9.18 ERA and a 2.16 WHIP across his first four starts of the season. Varland transitioned to a bullpen role over the final month of the regular season and held a 7.59 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP across 10 2/3 innings. His underlying metrics were not favorable. However, during his first two MLB seasons, the 27-year-old held a 4.40 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Fantasy managers should expect him to open the season with a low-leverage role and will likely not carry much fantasy value.

MLB.com's Do-Hyoung Park assumes that Minnesota Twins right-hander Louie Varland will get the nod to start on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field given how he lines up this week, which also plays into why he wasn't part of the team's roster expansions on Sunday. Varland is currently at Triple-A St. Paul, but he figures to come up this week for a spot start as the Twins look to get their regular starters some extra rest to kick off the final month of the regular season. The 26-year-old has an ERA over 6.00 with 32 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings over eight outings (seven starts) for the Twins in 2024. However, he had a quality start in six innings in his last start on Aug. 14 against the Kansas City Royals and has been very solid of late at St. Paul. Regardless of his recent hot stretch in the minors, Varland will be a shaky fantasy streamer if he starts on Wednesday with not much strikeout upside.

The Minnesota Twins recalled right-hander Louie Varland from Triple-A St. Paul on Friday as the 27th man to start Game 2 of the team's doubleheader against the visiting division-rival Cleveland Guardians. Depending on how Varland fares in his start on Friday, the Twins could call on him again soon now that right-hander Joe Ryan (shoulder) could potentially miss most, if not all, of the rest of the 2024 season. The 26-year-old will be making just his sixth start for Minnesota this year on Friday and won't be a recommended fantasy streamer against the first-place Guardians. In his six appearances this year, Varland has gone 0-4 with a 6.58 ERA (5.75 FIP), a 1.65 WHIP and a 25:10 K:BB in 26 innings pitched. Varland's last appearance in the big leagues came back on June 16, when he gave up two earned runs in 4 1/3 innings of relief against the Oakland Athletics.

The Minnesota Twins optioned right-hander Louie Varland and catcher Jair Camargo to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday. Manager Rocco Baldelli didn't commit to Varland taking his next turn through the team's starting rotation after another subpar performance on Sunday, when he allowed four runs in just 2 2/3 innings in a loss to the Detroit Tigers. The 26-year-old former 15th-round pick in 2019 out of Concordia University has lost all four of his starts so far in 2024 and is sporting an ugly 9.18 ERA and 2.16 WHIP with nine walks and 18 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings pitched. He's already allowed six home runs in four starts after allowing 16 all of last year in a career-high 68 innings pitched. Prospect Simeon Woods Richardson is most likely to take Varland's spot in Minnesota's rotation moving forward.

Minnesota Twins right-hander Louie Varland is a candidate to be removed from the team's starting rotation after going just 2 2/3 innings while giving up four runs in a loss to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. The loss dropped Varland to 0-4 on the year with a 9.18 ERA. He was pushed into the team's rotation to begin the year due to Anthony DeSclafani's (elbow) injury, but he may not be around much longer. He's allowed six homers in just 16 2/3 innings. Manager Rocco Baldelli declined to commit to Varland taking his next scheduled turn through the rotation after Sunday's game. If the Twins do move Varland out of the rotation, Simeon Woods Richardson, who pitched well in a spot start against Detroit on April 13, is the most logical choice to take Varland's spot next weekend against the Los Angeles Angels.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Louie Varland was hit hard in a loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. The right-hander recorded five innings in the box score and allowed seven hits, six runs, three walks and struck out six on the evening. Other than the strikeouts, Varland didn't do much to help managers. Varland was a popular sleeper in the fantasy community entering 2024, but over two starts has allowed nine earned runs on 13 hits with five walks and 10 strikeouts. It is only two starts so managers might not want to panic drop the right-hander just yet. Varland will look to get back on track in a matchup versus the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

Minnesota Twins right-hander Louie Varland is set for his first start of the 2024 MLB season. Varland made the team out of camp, which was the first time in his career that happened as he started last season in Triple-A. Varland ended up pitching in 17 games, starting 10 for the Twins last season, and went 4-3 with a 4.63 ERA. Varland will face a Milwaukee Brewers lineup that is slashing .303/.364/.413. The Twins enter play on Tuesday with a record of 2-1.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Louie Varland struggled to find much success during Wednesday's outing against the Detroit Tigers. The right-hander allowed eight hits and nine earned runs through four innings of work. Varland came into this game with a 11/1 K/BB ratio, but walked three during this outing. Despite this bad outing, Varland should still be the favorite for the fifth spot in the rotation. He'll likely win the spot by default with Anthony DeSclafani (elbow) heading to the injured list.

The Minnesota Twins are planning to stretch right-hander Louie Varland out as a starter in camp, although he could still be moved back to the bullpen at some point. To help him try and lock down a starting role in 2024, the 26-year-old has been working on improving his two-seam fastball and his slider. He finished with a 4.63 ERA (5.02 FIP) and 1.22 WHIP with 17 walks and 71 strikeouts in 68 innings over 17 appearances (10 starts) for the Twins in his second big-league season in 2023. Varland impressed as a reliever, as he had a 1.50 ERA with 17 K's and just one walk in 12 innings while showing improved velocity to close out the year. He'll primarily be competing with newcomer Anthony DeSclafani for the No. 5 rotation spot in camp. If he wins a rotation spot, Varland will certainly be intriguing as rotation depth in deeper fantasy leagues.

Minnesota Twins right-hander Louie Varland returned to the team on Monday from Triple-A St. Paul, but for now, the former starter will work in a relief role out of the bullpen. Varland, who posted a 1.95 ERA in August after being sent to the minors, is OK moving to a relief role, but he wants to remain a starter in the long-term. He started 10 games for the Twins earlier this year but was sent to St. Paul after allowing 17 runs in his final 15 innings. "I took the [demotion] as a chance to work on my stuff," Varland said, including "a couple" of new pitches. "I'm a better pitcher than I was a couple months ago." In 10 starts for the Twins this year, the 25-year-old has a 5.30 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 54 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched. Varland obviously loses what little fantasy value he had left in a relief role.

Minnesota Twins right-handed pitcher Louie Varland pitched out of the bullpen for the first time this season for Triple-A St. Paul on Thursday. He threw four one-run frames, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out four. His average fastball velocity was up 2.6 mph and he even touched 100 mph. It appears the Twins might use him as a bulk reliever in September, which gives him some limited appeal in deeper fantasy leagues as he could vulture some wins and should give good strikeout numbers.

The Minnesota Twins optioned right-hander Louie Varland to Triple-A St. Paul and selected the contract of right-hander Oliver Ortega from St. Paul in a corresponding move on Tuesday. The Twins also designated outfielder Kyle Garlick for assignment. Varland gets the boot from Minnesota's starting rotation after allowing six runs on nine hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out four in 4 1/3 innings in his last start over the weekend against the Detroit Tigers. He's given up a total of 17 runs in 15 innings over his last three starts to raise his ERA on the year to 5.30 (5.51 FIP) and a WHIP of 1.36 with 16 walks and 54 K's in 56 frames over 10 starts. The 25-year-old will make way for the return of veteran right-hander Kenta Maeda (triceps).

Minnesota Twins right-hander Louie Varland is scheduled to start Tuesday's matchup with Zach Eflin and the Tampa Bay Rays. The second-year hurler has given his club great depth after replacing Tyler Mahle (elbow) in the rotation, posting a 3.51 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 23.2% strikeout rate, and a solid 4.8% walk rate. With Kenta Maeda (triceps) nearing a return within the next couple of weeks, it's unclear if Varland will remain in the rotation. Either way, fantasy managers should roster the 25-year-old in every format right now and be confident starting him against a tough Rays lineup.

Minnesota Twins pitching prospect Louie Varland is scheduled to take Tyler Mahle's (elbow) spot in the starting rotation and is listed as the team's starter on Wednesday versus the Chicago White Sox. Varland, the team's No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will be making his second start this year after giving up three runs on six hits (three homers) while walking one and striking out eight in six innings in a no-decision against the Yankees on April 14. The 23-year-old right-hander is worth a look in deep-mixed and AL-only leagues with a chance to stick in the rotation if he performs well. He's also worth a look as a streamer against Chicago on Wednesday. Varland is throwing harder and has posted a 3.94 ERA (4.95 FIP), 1.22 WHIP, seven walks and 29 K's in 32 starts in six MLB starts the last two years.