Sands walked one and struck out two over a scoreless and hitless inning to earn the save in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Orioles.
The Twins' closer competition was one to watch during spring training, and manager Derek Shelton called on Sands in the ninth inning for Minnesota's first save opportunity. The situation will likely remain fluid, but Sands appears to be the preferred choice out of the gates to begin the 2026 season.