The Minnesota Twins received clarity on Joe Ryan’s injury issues on Thursday as The Athletic’s Dan Hayes reported that an MRI showed he has a mild left glute strain. While the injury isn’t severe, Hayes also reported that a stint on the injury list is “likely” and he’ll miss time down the stretch.
Losing Ryan for any period of time is a downer for a team that entered Thursday one game back of the Texas Rangers for the final Wild Card spot in the American League. But it also creates an opportunity for Zebby Matthews to return to Minnesota.
Matthews was sent down by the Twins on Aug. 1 to make room for the three pitchers acquired at this year’s trade deadline and was scheduled to start at Triple-A St. Paul on Thursday. But after being removed from that start and the extent of Ryan’s injury revealed, it’s another chance for Matthews to prove he belongs in the major leagues.
Zebby Matthews to likely re-join Twins after Joe Ryan’s injury
The Twins’ journey with Matthews has been up and down and the lack of consistency has yielded some rough results. In three seasons, Matthews has a 10-18 record and a 5.64 ERA. But he also has posted a 22.9 percent strikeout rate while also limiting his walks to 7.0 percent.
The metrics have also been unkind to Matthews, especially when it comes to his performance this season. A 4-8 record and 5.22 ERA are one example how things have gone wrong, but he’s posted a 22.6 percent whiff rate, a 28.2 percent chase rate and an average exit velocity of 90.0 mph according to Baseball Savant.
Opposing hitters are also squaring up Matthews at a 12.4 percent rate that ranks in the fourth percentile of qualifying pitchers and it made sense for the Twins to send the 26-year-old down to St. Paul after allowing 18 runs in his last three starts.
Of course, Ryan’s injury changed those plans. His overall numbers have been solid, going 6-8 with a 3.65 ERA over 23 starts. But his performance fell off a cliff after the All-Star Break, allowing a 9.39 ERA in his past three starts. The alarm bells got even louder when Ryan said he couldn’t finish his delivery earlier this week and after being sent back to the Twin Cities, the Twins have their answers and a fresh start for Matthews.
Zebby Matthews could be pitching for his Twins future after latest call up
The Twins have believed in Matthews since taking him in the eighth round of the 2022 draft. With a fastball that still reaches 95 mph, Matthews became a top 100 prospect with an 18-9 record and 3.19 ERA in 57 minor league appearances, but the challenge has been bringing it with him to the Major League level.
Former Twins reliever Danny Coulombe also suggested that Matthews could become a future ace last season, but this year’s performance has thrown some cold water on that prediction.
If Matthews takes advantage of his latest opportunity, it could mean big things for the Twins’ playoff push. But it also could inspire some confidence that Matthews can stick in the major leagues and do it as a starter. Another rough stint could also mean his future is as a reliever, but with a lack of quality arms in the organization, it would be nice for him to succeed.
Losing Ryan is going to sting. But if Matthews can get it together and prove he belongs, it could provide a silver lining for his future with the Twins.
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