Twins' Zebby Matthews: Not in line for call-up this week
Rotowire
Matthews is no longer expected to be recalled from Triple-A St. Paul this week with the Twins planning to maintain a five-man rotation, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune previously reported last Thursday that the Twins were contemplating calling up Matthews and having him serve as a temporary sixth member of the rotation, but Minnesota will stick with a five-man setup with off days on tap this Thursday and the following Monday. Matthews should still be next in line to join the big-league rotation if an opening emerges, though David Festa was called up ahead of him last week when Pablo Lopez (hamstring) landed on the injured list. Matthews has gotten off to a nice start to the season at St. Paul, striking out 13 over 10 innings while allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks.
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Twins' Zebby Matthews: Might be part of six-man rotation
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The Twins could recall Matthews and install him as part of a temporary six-man rotation, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
David Festa is expected to be promoted to start Friday, filling the rotation spot vacated by Pablo Lopez (hamstring). However, Matthews is a candidate to get a look in the majors soon as well as the Twins look to build in some extra rest for their other starters. Matthews has been dynamite in his first two starts with Triple-A St. Paul this season, allowing two runs with a 13:1 K:BB over 10 innings. It's not yet clear when he might start for the Twins, but he's a good candidate to stash in fantasy leagues where he's still available.
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Twins' Zebby Matthews: Sharp in return from hip injury
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Matthews (hip) threw three scoreless innings with five strikeouts and one walk in Wednesday's spring loss to Boston. It was his first outing since he suffered a strained hip during a Mar. 6 outing. "He probably had the sharpest outing that we've seen all spring," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Matthews exited his spring start last week due to what appeared to be an ankle injury but turned out to be a hip strain, but it sounds as though he'll be ready for the start of the regular season. He's battling for the fifth starter job but is likely to begin the season at Triple-A St. Paul as Simeon Woods Richardson and Chris Paddack (head) still appear on track to win the No. 4 and No. 5 starter roles.
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Twins' Zebby Matthews: Looks sharp in spring debut
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Matthews threw two scoreless innings with two strikeouts and no walks in his first outing of the spring Saturday. He reached 97.4 mph with his fastball and also displayed a refined changeup which he worked to improve in the offseason, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Matthews was a fast-rising prospect last season who rose from High-A to the majors based on his impeccable control and strong strikeout rates but struggled in his first trip to the majors (6.69 ERA). He has an outside shot this spring to win the fifth starter role, but it's more likely he begins the season in Triple-A. He could still have a significant impact in the majors this season with his minuscule walk rate (1.0 BB/9 career in minors), strong strikeout rate (10.2 K/9 career in minors) and velocity.
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Twins' Zebby Matthews: Yields one run in no-decision
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Matthews did not factor into the decision in Tuesday's 4-1 victory over the Guardians, allowing one run on five hits and one walk over 4.1 innings. He struck out five.
The Minnesota rookie right-hander held his own against the division leaders in Cleveland, as he tallied five or more Ks for the fifth time in his seven starts. However, he allowed another long ball -- his ninth in 30 big-league innings - when Lane Thomas cracked a 424-foot solo shot in the fourth. With this effort, Matthews lowered his season ERA from 7.17 to 6.30, and he's also pitched to a 5.74 FIP, 1.60 WHIP and 32:6 K:BB. He currently projects to make his next start against the Red Sox on the road this weekend.
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Twins' Zebby Matthews: Takes first big-league loss
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Matthews (1-1) took the loss against San Diego on Monday, allowing five runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out one batter over five innings.
Matthews was given a one-run lead in the top of the first inning, but he allowed the Padres to score twice in the bottom of the frame. The rookie hurler allowed three more runs in the third -- those were all unearned, though the error that led to them was committed by Matthews himself. The right-hander added to the miscue with a pair of walks in the inning, which was very uncharacteristic for him given his minuscule 0.6 BB/9 over 97 frames in the minors this season. Matthews' command has been consistently outstanding throughout his time as a pro, so that aspect of his pitching will likely carry over to the majors. However, he made only four appearances at the Triple-A level (and registered a 5.68 ERA over 19 innings) prior to his call-up to the majors, so fantasy managers would probably be wise to tempter expectations as he adjusts to facing big-league hitters.
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Twins' Zebby Matthews: To make MLB debut
Rotowire
The Twins selected Matthews' contract from Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday. He'll start Tuesday's game against the Royals.
Matthews will make his MLB debut Tuesday against Kansas City, and if he performs well, could see additional starts due to Joe Ryan (shoulder) and Chris Paddack (forearm) being injured. The 24-year-old was exceptional at Double-A, logging a 1.95 across 55.1 innings, but he's struggled with St. Paul, posting a 5.68 ERA across four starts (19.0 innings). However, he tallied a 23:1 K:BB at Triple-A. He may be worth a look as a streamer in the future, but he carries some risk Tuesday against a solid Royals lineup.
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Twins' Zebby Matthews: Receiving promotion to big leagues
Rotowire
The Twins are expected to call up Matthews from Triple-A St. Paul this week, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Minnesota has an opening in its rotation Tuesday against the Royals, and Matthews looks poised to fill that spot for what will be his MLB debut. The right-hander boasts a 2.60 ERA and 114:7 K:BB over 97 innings covering three stops in the minors in 2024. With Joe Ryan (shoulder) and Chris Paddack (forearm) both expected to miss several more weeks of action, Matthews will have an opportunity to pitch his way into additional starts with the big club.
