Report: Twins have 'indicated interest' in lefty Kyle Hart

Hart hasn't pitched in the majors since 2020 but is coming off a strong season in South Korea.

Left-hander Kyle Hart was consistent through much of the WooSox season. / Ashley Green/Worcester Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Minnesota Twins have "indicated interest" in left-handed pitcher Kyle Hart, who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2020 but is coming off a strong season in the Korean Baseball Organization, according to a report from The Athletic.

Hart, 32, made four appearances, including three starts, for the Boston Red Sox in 2020 but struggled, posting a 15.55 earned-run average after allowing 24 hits and 21 runs — 19 earned — while fanning 13 across 11 total innings. He spent the next few seasons in the minor leagues before going overseas to play in the Korean Baseball Organization last winter.

Hart made 26 appearances for the NC Dinos last season, all starts, finishing the year with a 13-3 record and a 2.69 ERA. In 157 innings, he fanned 182 while allowing just 124 hits and 51 runs — 47 earned. He's become an intriguing free agent.

The Twins were among teams that viewed Hart as a potential back-end starter or a long reliever, per The Athletic. The latter could be an intriguing option as manager Rocco Baldelli has expressed a preference for having a long reliever on the roster, though there wasn't anyone that routinely fit that role last season. Other teams interested in Hart included the New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles, according to The Athletic.