Justin Topa #56

Justin Robert Topa (pronounced TOW-pah)...X: @Justin_Topa...Instagram: @justtopa27...Has a wife, Trisha, and a daughter, Isabella (born March 1, 2023)...Graduated from Chenango Valley High School (N.Y.), where he played baseball, golf and hockey...Graduated from Long Island University-Brooklyn and is one of nine LIU-Brooklyn products to appear in an MLB game, along with National Baseball Hall of Famer Larry Doby and former Mariners outfielder James Jones...Enjoys golfing and spending time with friends and family...Is a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles and enjoys watching the NHL, some of his favorite players being Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin...Was a Derek Jeter/Yankees fan growing up...Is an avid baseball card collector and grew up opening packs with his father... Enjoys collecting other sports memorabilia...Participated in 2025 and '26 TwinsFest at Target Field...participated in 2026 Twins Winter Caravan with Mick Abel, LaTroy Hawkins and Cory Provus, traveling to Duluth (Minn.), St. Cloud (Minn.), Rochester (Minn.) and Northwood (Iowa).

2025

Made Twins Opening Day roster, the first of his career...Made 100th career appearance on April 6 vs. Houston...Allowed 0 ER in 13 of first 16 appearances, from March 27-May 18, posting a 1.72 ERA (15.2 IP, 3 ER) in that span...Recorded his first career start, serving as the Opener on April 19 at Atlanta...allowed one run on three hits, with no walks and one strikeout in one inning...Allowed home run to Evan Carter on June 10 vs. Texas, snapping a streak of 35-straight innings without allowing a homer...marked first allowed since Sept. 11, 2023 (Brandon Drury)...at time of home run, his 117 career appearances and eight career home runs allowed were tied for fourth-fewest among actives (minimum of 100 innings pitched)...Pitched in more high leverage situations in final two months after Twins traded five relievers at trade deadline, from July 30-31...earned four saves and two holds in final 15 games from Aug. 1-Sept. 7...Earned saves in back-to-back appearances for first time in career on Aug. 22 at Chicago-AL and Aug. 26 at Toronto...Pitched season-high 2.0 innings six times on season, which also tied career-high...Exited game on Sept. 7 at Kansas City after experiencing discomfort in left knee...Placed on 15-day Injured List on September 10 with a left oblique strain, ending his season...Posted opponent batting average of .230 (14-for-61) off sweeper, his best of any pitch...Finished with just two home runs allowed on season: Evan Carter on June 10 vs. Texas and Alex Call on July 26 vs. Washington...tied for second-fewest in baseball among pitchers with at least 50.0 innings pitched...Finished with 54 appearances, 60 innings pitched and 49 strikeouts, all the second-most of his career...Finished with four saves, second-most saves on Twins (Jhoan Duran - 16)...Ranked second on Twins staff in games (54) and relief innings (60).

2024

Acquired by Minnesota via trade with Seattle on Jan. 29, along with right-handed pitchers Anthony DeSclafani and Darren Bowen, and outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez, in exchange for infielder Jorge Polanco...Pitched in seven games for Twins during Spring Training but was shut down after experiencing pain in left knee...Began season on 15-day injured list with left patellar tendinitis; transferred to 60-day IL on May 28...Made four appearances on rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul from April 25-May 5, but had setback with knee flaring up again and was on crutches for short period...Got second opinion on knee and restarted rehab program in mid-May...Went back on rehab assignment and appeared in one game for Low-A Fort Myers on July 23...Transferred rehab to Triple-A St. Paul, where he appeared in three games from July 26-Aug. 2...Reinstated from 60-day IL on Sept. 25...Appeared in three games from Sept. 25-28, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings.

2023

Began the season with Triple-A Tacoma and pitched in three games before he was recalled by Seattle on April 9, spending the rest of the season on the active roster...First season with Mariners...Recorded first career Major League save on May 7 vs. Houston, tossing a scoreless inning with one strikeout...Earned first Major League win on May 31 vs. New York-AL, pitching 1.0 inning of relief...Became the first N.Y.-born reliever to record his first career win against the Yankees since Minnesota's Don Cooper on Sept. 2, 1981...On Aug. 23 at Chicago-AL became the first pitcher in MLB history to face zero batters and allow zero baserunners while recording a loss...He entered the game in the 10th inning with Tim Anderson as the "ghost" runner on second base...Anderson stole third base and scored on a throwing error by J.P. Crawford, ending the game by a score of 5-4...In 27 combined games in the months of July and Aug., went 3-1 with one save, nine holds and a 0.77 ERA (23.1 IP, 2 ER) with four walks and 23 strikeouts...Held opponents to a .473 OPS in that stretch... Posted a career-high 13.1 scoreless inning stretch during that span from July 24-Aug. 22...Recorded a win at New York-NL on Sept. 2, becoming the first Seattle pitcher who was born in New York to record a win in New York since John Halama on Aug. 7, 2000 at the Yankees...Went 13-for-13 in stranding inherited baserunners...Held left-handed batters to a .216 average, compared to .253 vs. right-handed batters...Ranked in the 97th percentile in barrel percentage (3.0%) and 94th percentile in both expected ERA (2.97) and ground ball percentage (57.4%)...His 75 appearances were tied for second most in baseball with Arizona's Miguel Castro and Cleveland's Emmanuel Clase, trailing only teammate Matt Brash (78 G)...The 75 games were tied for fourth most in Mariners history with Mark Lowe (2009), trailing Brash (2023) and Ed Vande Berg (2x, 78 G in 1982 and 76 G in 1985).

2022

Went 0-0 with a 4.91 ERA (4 ER, 7.1 IP) with four walks and four strikeouts in sevem appearances with the Brewers...On the Injured List with a right forearm flexor strain from the start of the season through Aug. 12, making his season debut with the Brewers on Sept. 9 after appearing with Triple-A Nashville...Made 17 appearances with Triple-A Nashville (MIL), going 2-0 with a 4.34 ERA (9 ER, 18.2 IP) with eight walks and 17 strikeouts.

2021

Spent most of the season on the injured list with a right elbow injury...Was placed on the 10-day injured list 4/1 and transferred to the 60-day injured list on 4/6...After rehab appearances at Rookie Arizona (2g), Double-A Biloxi (4g) and Triple-A Nashville (4g) was reinstated on 8/11...Appeared in four games with Milwaukee, posting a 29.70 ERA (3.1ip, 11er)...Had two stints with the team (8/11-8/14 and 9/1-9/3)...Returned to the 60-day injured list on 9/4 and underwent right elbow surgery 9/14, performed by Dr. David Altchek.

2020

Went 0-1 with a 2.35 ERA in 6 relief appearances with Milwaukee...Had three stints with the team (8/31-9/3, 9/14 and 9/16-end)...Held opponents to a .233 batting average...Produced 12 strikeouts without a walk in 7.2 innings...Made his Major League debut on 9/1 vs. Detroit (2ip, 2h, 2r, 2er, 2k, 1hr)...his first career strikeout was Willi Castro...allowed a two-run homer to Victor Reyes...Tossed 2.0 scoreless innings (1h, 1bb) in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series at Los Angeles.

2019

In his first season in the Brewers organization went 0-6 with 3 saves and a 3.38 ERA in 33 games between High-A Carolina and Double-A Biloxi.

2018

Appeared in 4 more games with Rockland before returning to affiliated ball with the Rangers organization, going 2-4 with a 6.85 ERA in 10 games (7 starts) between High-A Down East and Double-A Frisco.

2017

 Pitched in indepedent ball for the Rockland Boulders (Pomona, NY) of the Canadian-American Association, going 14-3 with 1 save and a 3.50 ERA in 20 games (19 starts).

2016

2015

Missed the entire 2015 season after undergoing his second “Tommy John” surgery in April, performed by Dr. David Altchek...underwent his first “Tommy John” surgery while at LIU-Brooklyn in May 2011, also performed by Dr. Altchek.