Twins forgo qualifying offer for Pelfrey

MINNEAPOLIS -- As expected, the Twins did not extend a $14.1 million qualifying offer to right-hander Mike Pelfrey before Monday's 4 p.m. CT deadline.

Pelfrey is the club's lone impending free agent, as the Twins traded first baseman Justin Morneau to the Pirates on Aug. 31 for outfielder Alex Presley and reliever Duke Welker. Free agents can sign with other clubs beginning at 11:01 p.m. CT on Monday night.

The qualifying offer allows teams to receive Draft-pick compensation if a player rejects the one-year offer and signs elsewhere. But the Twins determined Pelfrey wasn't worth the one-year, $14.1 million deal, as he would've accepted it coming off a season in which he posted a 5.19 ERA in 29 starts.

Pelfrey, 29, joined the Twins last offseason on a one-year deal worth $3 million after undergoing Tommy John surgery on May 1, 2012. He made a speedy recovery from the surgery, as he was on the club's Opening Day roster but struggled with his command most of the season.

The right-hander put together some decent stretches -- he had a 3.45 ERA in 11 starts in July and August -- but ultimately finished the year with the third-worst ERA of his career.

Pelfrey, who is represented by Scott Boras, made it clear at the end of the season that he'd like to remain with the Twins. But the Twins, who desperately need pitching help, have yet to give any indications if they'll bring him back on a new deal.

The Twins did make a slew of roster moves on Monday, including adding left-handed reliever Edgar Ibarra to the 40-man roster.

Ibarra, 24, posted a combined 1.93 ERA in 47 appearances between Double-A New Britain and Triple-A Rochester last season. The Venezuela native struck out 54 and walked 29 in 60 2/3 innings.

Additionally, the Twins signed seven players to Triple-A contracts with invitations to Major League Spring Training -- catcher Dan Rohlfing, left-hander Aaron Thompson, right-hander Lester Oliveros, outfielders Wilkin Ramirez and Jermaine Mitchell and infielders Doug Bernier and James Beresford.

All seven players were at Triple-A Rochester last year, with Ramirez and Bernier also seeing time with the Twins.

The Twins also signed right-hander Virgil Vasquez to a Triple-A contract but it does not include an invitation to big league camp. Catcher Jairo Rodriguez and first baseman Reynaldo Rodriguez were both signed to Minor League deals without invites as well.