Justin Topa

Justin Topa

35-Year-Old PitcherRP
Toronto Blue Jays AAA
2026 Fantasy Outlook
Topa bounced back from an injury-plagued 2024 season to be a productive middle reliever and could have a higher leverage role in 2026. Topa pitched just 2.1 innings in 2024 due to a left knee injury, but returned to post a 3.90 ERA in 2025 despite just a 18.3% strikeout rate mostly due to good control (6.7% BB) and a decent groundball rate (47.7%). He scuffled a bit when he became part of the closer committee after the trade deadline, however, with two blown saves in six chances the last two months (despite a 3.31 ERA but just a 11:6 K:BB in 16.1 innings). Topa throws a bowling-ball sinker that can reach the high 90-mph range and his slider can be a swing-and-miss weapon. He could be in the closer mix for the Twins if the team doesn't sign a high-profile veteran reliever. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
#388
ADP
Signed a minor-league contract with the Blue Jays in June of 2026.
Nets minors deal from Blue Jays
PToronto Blue Jays  AAA
June 3, 2026
The Blue Jays signed Topa to a minor-league contract Saturday.
Analysis
Topa was released by the Twins on May 23 after posting an 8.05 ERA and 2.00 WHIP across 19 innings. The 35-year-old reliever will look to get back on track at Triple-A Buffalo and earn another chance at the big-league level.
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Pitching Stats
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2026 MLB Game Log
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2026 MLB Game Log
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2025 MLB Game Log
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2024 MLB Game Log
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2023 MLB Game Log
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2022 MLB Game Log
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2021 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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Minor League Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
16
Last 10 Games
19
Last 5 Games
25
How many pitches does Justin Topa generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Justin Topa generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2024
 
 
-4%
BAA vs RHP
2026
 
 
-20%
BAA vs LHP
2025
 
 
-14%
BAA vs RHP
2024
 
 
-100%
BAA vs RHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2024vs Left .300 157 25 14 42 10 0 2
Since 2024vs Right .287 211 38 15 54 10 0 4
2026vs Left .300 34 6 3 9 2 0 1
2026vs Right .375 58 6 8 18 1 0 3
2025vs Left .305 118 18 11 32 8 0 1
2025vs Right .263 150 31 7 36 9 0 1
2024vs Left .200 5 1 0 1 0 0 0
2024vs Right .000 3 1 0 0 0 0 0
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2024
 
 
-51%
ERA on Road
2026
 
 
-6%
ERA at Home
2025
 
 
-75%
ERA on Road
2024
No Stats
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2024Home 6.23 1.78 43.1 1 5 2 6.9 3.3 1.0
Since 2024Away 3.08 1.26 38.0 0 1 4 7.1 3.1 0.2
2026Home 7.84 2.23 10.1 0 1 2 5.2 6.1 2.6
2026Away 8.31 1.73 8.2 0 0 0 6.2 4.2 1.0
2025Home 6.16 1.73 30.2 1 4 0 7.3 2.6 0.6
2025Away 1.53 1.13 29.1 0 1 4 7.4 2.8 0.0
2024Home 0.00 0.43 2.1 0 0 0 7.7 0.0 0.0
2024Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Minor League Left/Right Pitching Splits (AAA)
Since 2024
 
 
-19%
BAA vs LHP
2026
No Stats
2025
No Stats
2024
 
 
-23%
BAA vs LHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2024vs Left .188 20 8 4 3 2 0 1
Since 2024vs Right .231 29 8 1 6 1 0 0
2026vs Left .000 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
2026vs Right .000 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
2025vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2025vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024vs Left .200 18 8 3 3 2 0 1
2024vs Right .261 26 8 1 6 1 0 0
Stat Review
How does Justin Topa compare to other relievers?
This section compares his stats with all relief pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 30 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
1.09
 
K/9
5.7
 
BB/9
5.2
 
HR/9
1.9
 
Fastball
93.4 mph
 
ERA
8.05
 
WHIP
2.00
 
BABIP
.356
 
GB/FB
2.29
 
Left On Base
61.7%
 
Exit Velocity
82.5 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
4.4%
 
Spin Rate
2195 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
26.5%
 
Swinging Strike
5.8%
 
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Justin Topa See More
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Justin Topa See More
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2025
2024
2021
Topa will look to re-establish himself as a key setup man after essentially a lost season. He began 2024 on the injured list due to left patellar tendinitis and then suffered a small tear in his left patellar tendon while rehabbing in late May. Topa finally returned to throw 2.1 innings in September. He throws a bowling-ball sinker that can reach the high 90-mph range and his slider can be a swing-and-miss weapon. He generated a 56.7% groundball rate that was in the 94th percentile in 2023. He still holds some promise as a setup man if he can shake his injury woes from last year.
With two Tommy John surgeries and only 18.1 major league innings on his resume, Topa looked healthy during spring training after Seattle acquired him via trade last January. The 32-year-old didn't break camp with the Mariners, but he was recalled early in the season and given opportunities to pitch in a setup role. With health prevailing, Topa pitched a career-high 69 innings across 75 appearances (T-2nd among relievers) and finished with 5 wins, 3 saves and 24 holds (T-11th). With a sinker-heavy approach (-8 degree launch angle on batted balls), the right-hander generated a 56.7% groundball rate that was in the 94th percentile. He also implemented a successful cutter against left-handed batters. Topa figures to open 2024 as one of Minnesota's primary setup men after a January trade from Seattle and is a solid target in leagues that count holds, but don't dismiss the health risks that come along with clicking his name in the draft room.
While it was only 7.2 innings, Topa opened eyes with his performance in 2020. A 17th-round pick by the Pirates in 2013, Topa was out of affiliated ball a couple years later. He spent time in the independent Can-Am league and a year in the Rangers organization before the Brewers took a chance on him late in 2019. Topa spent the first month of the 2020 season at the alternate site, ultimately debuting Sept. 1. The right-hander went on to rack up 12 strikeouts without a walk and only one homer allowed. He throws a bowling-ball sinker that is routinely up at 97-98 and generates a good number of groundballs, and his slider is a real swing-and-miss weapon. Devin Williams has received a lot of attention and deservedly so, but don't sleep on Topa in this Milwaukee bullpen.
More Fantasy News
Cut by Twins
PFree Agent  AAA
May 23, 2026
The Twins released Topa on Saturday, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.
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Designated for assignment
PMinnesota Twins  AAA
May 19, 2026
The Twins designated Topa for assignment Tuesday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
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Hangs on for second save
PMinnesota Twins  AAA
May 3, 2026
Topa picked up the save in Sunday's 4-3 win over the Blue Jays despite allowing two runs on four hits in the ninth inning.
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Collects first save of 2026
PMinnesota Twins  AAA
April 7, 2026
Topa earned the save in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Tigers, allowing one walk and no hits in a scoreless two-thirds of an inning.
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Gives up run in season opener
PMinnesota Twins  AAA
March 26, 2026
Topa allowed one run on two hits with no walks or strikeouts over one inning in Thursday's 2-1 loss against the Orioles.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Could lose roster spot
PMinnesota Twins  AAA
November 20, 2025
Topa is a candidate to be non-tendered by the Twins ahead of Friday's roster deadline, report Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic.
Analysis
Minnesota recently declined Topa's $2 million option for 2026, but he remains under team control through the arbitration process. The right-hander's estimated salary for next season is around $1.7 million, which isn't a significant difference from the option the Twins already turned down. He was a solid bullpen piece for Minnesota last season with a 3.90 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 49:18 K:BB over 60 innings, but he's had trouble staying healthy since making his debut in 2020.
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