MINNEAPOLIS -- One of the Twins' success stories last season saw his time in Minnesota come to an end when right-handed reliever Ryne Harper was traded to the Nationals on Wednesday for Minor League reliever Hunter McMahon. Harper had been designated for assignment to make room for Josh Donaldson on the Twins' 40-man roster.

McMahon, 21, was the Nationals' ninth-round selection in the 2019 MLB Draft. The right-hander from Texas State University had 18 strikeouts and two walks in 12 2/3 innings last season between the Rookie-level GCL Twins and Class A Short Season Auburn. In trading for McMahon, the Twins essentially got a lottery-ticket return instead of losing Harper on waivers for nobody in exchange.

Harper was originally a feel-good story out of Spring Training, when he rode a wave of success to nudge his way onto the 25-man roster as a 30-year-old rookie. He then came out of nowhere to become one of the Twins' most important bullpen pieces during the first half of 2019, when he stabilized a relief corps that was largely in flux before it came together in the second half.

The right-hander posted a 2.92 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 37 innings in the first half as he quickly assumed a high-leverage role in the middle innings for the Twins, in large part due to manager Rocco Baldelli's belief that Harper represented a tough matchup for both right-handed and left-handed hitters with his unusual mix of curveballs at three different speeds.

But Harper faded down the stretch and was eventually optioned back to Triple-A Rochester before finishing the season back on the MLB roster. There likely wasn't room for Harper in the Twins' bullpen this coming season due to the return of Sergio Romo; acquisitions of Tyler Clippard and Matt Wisler; and emergence of young options like Brusdar Graterol and Cody Stashak.

Even without Harper in the fold, the Twins should still have an active competition for the final two or so spots in the bullpen during Spring Training between Wisler, Graterol, Stashak and Fernando Romero. They would join a solid relief contingent that should already include Taylor Rogers, Tyler Duffey, Trevor May, Zack Littell, Romo and Clippard.