Justin Topa

Justin Topa

33-Year-Old PitcherRP
Minnesota Twins
2024 Fantasy Outlook
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. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season
From Preseason
#363
ADP
$Signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the Mariners in January of 2024. Traded to the Twins in January of 2024.
Returns from injured list
PMinnesota Twins
September 25, 2024
The Twins reinstated Topa (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
Topa has been on the injured list all season while working his way back from a torn patellar tendon he suffered during spring training and an elbow issue that appeared during a rehab assignment in August. He surrendered three earned runs over two innings after restarting his minor-league assignment Friday, and he's now been given the green light to return to Minnesota's bullpen for the team's final playoff push. Given the amount of time he's missed, the 33-year-old righty will likely be limited to middle relief. Cole Irvin was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
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Pitching Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
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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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
7
Last 10 Games
7
Last 5 Games
7
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 2022
 
 
-15%
BAA vs LHP
2024
 
 
-100%
BAA vs RHP
2023
 
 
-15%
BAA vs LHP
2022
 
 
-18%
BAA vs LHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .218 115 27 11 22 2 2 2
Since 2022vs Right .255 207 40 11 49 5 0 2
2024vs Left .200 5 1 0 1 0 0 0
2024vs Right .000 3 1 0 0 0 0 0
2023vs Left .216 101 23 10 19 2 2 2
2023vs Right .253 178 38 8 42 4 0 2
2022vs Left .250 9 3 1 2 0 0 0
2022vs Right .304 26 1 3 7 1 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-26%
ERA on Road
2024
No Stats
2023
 
 
-18%
ERA on Road
2022
 
 
-100%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 3.15 1.38 40.0 2 1 2 8.8 2.9 0.2
Since 2022Away 2.33 0.98 38.2 3 3 1 6.5 2.1 0.7
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
2023Home 2.90 1.35 31.0 2 1 2 9.6 2.9 0.3
2023Away 2.37 0.97 38.0 3 3 1 6.6 1.9 0.7
2022Home 5.40 1.80 6.2 0 0 0 5.4 4.1 0.0
2022Away 0.00 1.50 .666666 0 0 0 0.0 13.5 0.0
More Splits View More Split Stats
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
0.00
 
K/9
7.7
 
BB/9
0.0
 
HR/9
0.0
 
Fastball
92.0 mph
 
ERA
0.00
 
WHIP
0.43
 
BABIP
.179
 
GB/FB
1.50
 
Left On Base
100.0%
 
Exit Velocity
79.6 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
11.1%
 
Spin Rate
2168 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
11.1%
 
Swinging Strike
15.0%
 
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
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266 days ago
Brad Johnson looks at the American League Central, and in Cleveland, he's been won over by Shane Bieber, whose once rather-average stuff has improved significantly.
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294 days ago
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313 days ago
Todd Zola considers a new approach to regressing a pitcher's BABIP, which suggests better days should be ahead for Hunter Greene.
2024 Closer Rankings
2024 Closer Rankings
323 days ago
323 days ago
Ryan Rufe shares his initial closer rankings for 2024, with Raisel Iglesias earning quite a high spot.
Mound Musings: The Endgame Odyssey Continues – American League
May 11, 2023
Brad Johnson looks at unstable AL bullpens, including in Texas where the Rangers hope Jose Leclerc will step up to claim the closer job.
2021 Fantasy Outlook
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
Feels ready to return
PMinnesota Twins
Elbow
September 24, 2024
Topa (knee/elbow) said Tuesday that he feels ready to return after making two rehab appearances with Triple-A St. Paul, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Throwing bullpen sessions
PMinnesota Twins
Elbow
September 14, 2024
Topa (knee/elbow) threw 30 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday, MLB.com reports. It was his third bullpen session in the past week.
ANALYSIS
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Resumes playing catch
PMinnesota Twins
Elbow
August 25, 2024
Topa (knee) played catch from 60 feet Sunday, Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
ANALYSIS
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Hits snag in recovery process
PMinnesota Twins
Elbow
August 16, 2024
Topa (knee) had a setback recently when he experienced soreness in his left elbow while playing catch, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
ANALYSIS
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MRI shows elbow inflammation
PMinnesota Twins
Elbow
August 13, 2024
An MRI on Topa's right elbow showed inflammation, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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