Dobnak, who was acquired in a trade from Minnesota on Monday, is set to report to Triple-A Toledo, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
Dobnak has spent most of this season with Triple-A St. Paul outside of one long-relief appearance for the Twins back on March 30. The veteran righty could eventually be a swingman for the Tigers while injuries begin to mount for the big-league pitching staff, but for now, Dobnak will stick as organizational depth in the minors.
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Tigers' Randy Dobnak: Included in Paddack trade
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The Tigers acquired Dobnak and right-hander Chris Paddack from the Twins on Monday in exchange for catcher Enrique Jimenez, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Dobnak made one extended relief appearance for the Twins earlier this season but has spent nearly all of 2025 at Triple-A St. Paul, where he's posted a 7.12 ERA and 42:35 K:BB over 60.2 frames. He's making $3 million this season, so his inclusion in the deal is likely just a means for the Twins to unload a little more salary.
The Twins outrighted Dobnak to Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.
Dobnak is no longer on the 40-man roster, but he'll remain in the organization after passing through waivers unclaimed. It's uncertain whether the Twins intend to use him in the rotation or in long relief with St. Paul.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Loses spot on 40-man roster
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The Twins designated Dobnak for assignment Monday, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Dobnak tossed a bullpen-saving 5.1 innings of one-run ball in relief of an ineffective Bailey Ober in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals. His reward is an exit from the 26-man active roster and 40-man roster in favor of a fresh arm in Darren McCaughan, who was called up from Triple-A St. Paul.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Selected to active roster
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The Twins selected Dobnak's contract from Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.
Dobnak pitched six shutout innings while striking out seven batters this spring before being moved to minor-league camp March 9, but injuries to Brock Stewart (hamstring) and Michael Tonkin (shoulder) will lead to Dobnak opening the season with Minnesota. The 30-year-old righty owns a 4.99 ERA in his big-league career and has made just five appearances since 2021, so he'll almost certainly be limited to low-leverage situations.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Nabs final bullpen spot
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Dobnak has been awarded the final spot in the Twins' bullpen, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Dobnak was sent to minor-league camp earlier this month, but with Brock Stewart (hamstring) and Michael Tonkin (shoulder) slated for injured-list stints, the Twins were in need of bullpen reinforcements. The 30-year-old Dobnak will need to be added to the 40-man and 26-man rosters before Opening Day.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Cut from big-league camp
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The Twins reassigned Dobnak to minor-league camp Sunday, Phil Miller of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Dobnak had been attending camp as a non-roster invitee after the Twins had removed him from their 40-man roster following the 2024 season. The 30-year-old right-hander spent most of the past season at Triple-A St. Paul but made five relief appearances for Minnesota in the second half of the campaign, logging a 5.59 ERA and 1.66 WHIP over 9.2 innings. He's poised to once again serve as pitching depth at the Triple-A level in 2025 before likely heading into free agency next offseason, when Minnesota is expected to decline his $6 million team option for 2026.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Jettisoned from 40-man roster
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The Twins outrighted Dobnak to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
It's not the first time Dobnak has been outrighted, so he has the option to elect free agency. If he doesn't he'll represent rotation depth at St. Paul, where he held a 4.25 ERA and 1.45 WHIP with 134 strikeouts over 133.1 innings in 2024.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Back in big leagues
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Dobnak's contract was selected from Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday.
He will take Diego Castillo's 40-man roster spot on the final day of the season after being designated for assignment less than two weeks ago. Dobnak may not hold his 40-man roster spot all offseason, as he logged a 5.87 ERA and 1.83 WHIP in 7.2 innings in the majors this season and will turn 30 in January. Dobnak had a 4.25 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 134 strikeouts in 133.1 innings at Triple-A this season.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Outrighted to Triple-A
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The Twins outrighted Dobnak to Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.
Dobnak was removed from the 40-man roster earlier this week but will remain in the organization for now after passing through waivers unclaimed. The righty made it back to the majors this season for the first time in three years, allowing five runs over 7.2 innings during his brief time with the Twins.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Exits 40-man roster
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The Twins designated Dobnak for assignment Monday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for Cole Irvin, who has been claimed off waivers. Dobnak made it back to the majors briefly in 2024 for the first time since 2021, allowing five runs over 7.2 frames covering four relief appearances. Given his $2.25 million salary, Dobnak is a good bet to pass through waivers unclaimed.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Sent back to minors
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The Twins optioned Dobnak to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday.
Dobnak wasn't going to be available for at least a day or two after throwing three scoreless relief innings in Sunday's loss to the Guardians. He'll cede his spot on the 26-man active roster to left-hander Steven Okert (personal), who was reinstated from the bereavement list.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Summoned from Triple-A
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The Twins selected Dobnak's contract from Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday.
Dobnak will join the Twins for the first time since the 2021 season after posting a 3.61 ERA and 1.45 WHIP through 99.2 innings at Triple-A.Though he's served primarily as a starter in the minor leagues, he'll likely operate out of the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever while with Minnesota. In order to create space on the 40-man roster, the Twins transferred Alex Kirilloff (back) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Expected to be called up
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The Twins are expected to call up Dobnak from Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday, Phil Miller and Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune report.
Dobnak hasn't pitched in the majors since 2021, having had to remake himself into a slider and changeup pitcher after permanent ligament damage in his right middle finger left him unable to throw his sinker. He's been on fire lately at St. Paul, collecting a 1.70 ERA and 42:16 K:BB over 42.1 innings covering his last eight starts. It's not clear what role the Twins have planned for Dobnak, but he could provide innings protection behind their starter for Tuesday's game against the Mets, David Festa.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Shifted to minors camp
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The Twins reassigned Dobnak to minor-league camp Wednesday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.
Dobnak battled finger injuries for the majority of last season but still managed to pitch 20 innings at the Triple-A level, logging a 5.40 ERA and 1.70 WHIP while there. Luckily, his finger problems seem to have subsided over the offseason. He will return to Triple-A St. Paul to start the year and has a chance to return to the majors if he gets off to a strong start.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Throwing without finger pain
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Dobnak's oft-injured finger has been pain-free all winter, and he's been throwing bullpen sessions without issue, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. "I think we're way over the hump now. I've been down here for a month. I threw live Friday, that was probably my 10th bullpen," Dobnak said. "I've been slinging it fine."
Dobnak had ligaments called pulleys in his right middle finger rupture over the past two years, which has led him to appear in just 30 games during that span. Dobnak does not have great velocity, but he generated ground balls at a high rate before his injury. His success was largely due to his sinker, and the Star Tribune report says he's had to modify the pitch with more horizontal break due to the damaged finger. He'll need to re-establish himself at Triple-A before getting another shot at the majors, and his damaged finger raises serious doubts he can reclaim his prior form.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Assigned to Triple-A
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Dobnak cleared waivers Friday and was assigned to Triple-A St. Paul, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Dobnak has spent all of this season on the 60-day injured list and found little success during his rehab assignment, recording a 9.35 ERA over 8.2 innings for St. Paul. Unless he can put together some form of consistent success in the minors and stay healthy, the 27-year-old might not regain a spot on the 40-man roster despite being under contract with the Twins through at least 2025.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Dropped from 40-man roster
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The Twins reinstated Dobnak (finger) from the 60-day injured list Wednesday and placed him on outright waivers, Darren Wolfson of Channel 5 Saint Paul reports.
Dobnak, who has been on the 60-day injured list all season after experiencing multiple setbacks in his recovery from the right middle finger discomfort that plagued him in 2021, was nearing the end of the 30-day rehab window, and the Twins didn't have room for him on the big-league roster. He didn't help his cause by finding little success over his eight-appearance rehab assignment that included stops at three affiliates. Upon moving up to Triple-A St. Paul on Aug. 28, Dobnak was roughed up for nine earned runs on 11 hits and eight walks over 8.2 innings. Since he's still owed approximately $7 million on the five-year, $9.25 million contract extension he inked in March 2021, Dobnak will presumably accept the outright assignment and stick around at Triple-A rather than electing free agency.
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Twins' Randy Dobnak: Rehabbing at Triple-A
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Dobnak (finger) struck out two and allowed one earned run on one hit and no walks over two innings of relief in his rehab appearance Sunday with Triple-A St. Paul.
Dobnak has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in his three appearances since shifting his rehab assignment to Triple-A on Aug. 28, so the Twins are seemingly preparing him to make his return from the 60-day injured list as a multi-inning reliever. The right-hander struggled to find the strike zone (six walks) over his first two outings at Triple-A, but he did well to limit the free passes Sunday.
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