The Minnesota Twins are shaking things up as they look to reignite their lineup and stabilize their rotation. In a move that signals a need for change, the team has optioned struggling outfielder Matt Wallner to Triple-A and called up right-handed pitcher Zebby Matthews to start Thursday's game against the Miami Marlins.
Wallner, 28, has been mired in a deep slump, batting just .167 with three doubles and four home runs in 120 at-bats, good for a .551 OPS. His strikeout woes have reached critical levels—he fanned in eight consecutive at-bats before the demotion and leads all of Major League Baseball with 53 strikeouts in 135 plate appearances. It's a sharp fall for a player who hit a career-high 22 home runs in 104 games last season and posted impressive OPS marks of .877 in 2023 and .894 in 2024 during part-time duty.
Entering the rotation is Matthews, who has been dominant in his last three starts at Triple-A St. Paul, going 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 18 strikeouts over 18 innings. The right-hander made 16 starts for the Twins last season but was edged out of the rotation at the end of spring training. Now, he gets another shot as the team deals with a wave of injuries.
The Twins' pitching staff has been hit hard. Right-hander Taj Bradley was placed on the injured list last week with inflammation in his right pectoral muscle, joining All-Star Pablo López (out for the season after Tommy John surgery) and rookie Mick Abel, who recently suffered a setback in his recovery from elbow inflammation.
Matthews' promotion also allows the Twins to manage rookie Connor Prielipp's workload by pushing back his next start. Meanwhile, right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson's spot in the rotation is looking shaky after he allowed eight runs in three innings during Wednesday's 9-5 loss to the Marlins, ballooning his ERA to 7.71.
In additional roster moves, the Twins sent right-handed reliever Travis Adams to St. Paul and recalled utility player Ryan Kreidler for his second stint with the club. Kreidler, who played third base and center field during a five-game stretch last month, adds versatility off the bench as the team looks to regroup.