Sunday morning, the Twins made a surprise announcement that their star prospect pitcher, Zebby Matthews, emerged from his last start with a shoulder injury significant enough to require a stint on the 15-day IL.
In a corresponding move, they reinstated LHP Danny Coulombe from the 15-day IL.
Zebby Matthews injury analysis
Matthews has been one of the more intriguing arms not just in the Twins’ system, but in the Majors as a whole. His pedigree is a blend of electric stuff and steady poise. After a strong stint in the minors, Matthews made his highly anticipated MLB debut in 2025, quickly proving he’s no stranger to big league competition. With a fastball that touches 98 mph and a slider with nasty bite, Matthews has already flashed high strikeout upside. His 2.90 ERA in his first 15 major league innings reflects his ability to manage traffic, limiting walks with a 3.4 BB/9.
However, his challenge remains maintaining that command, as the strike zone can get tight in MLB, and his 1.5 HR/9 rate in 2025 shows the risk of his aggressive pitching style. While Matthews is still refining his control, his velocity and movement suggest he has the tools to become a frontline starter in the near future. Keep an eye on his progress, especially if he can continue limiting hard contact and dialing in his breaking pitches.
It hasn’t all been raw poetic potential, though. His recent starts in the majors have been a microcosm of his areas for growth. In his last four starts, he’s posted a solid 9.2 K/9. He’s got a filthy slider that’s generating a 34% whiff rate, a pitch that could easily be a weapon as he refines his command. What stands out, though, is that walk rate in these outings, a significant improvement over his minor league days when he hovered around 4.5 BB/9. Hitters are hitting .202 against his fastball.
When he returns from this shoulder stint, Matthews’ ability to keep the ball in the park will be crucial going forward; despite his solid control, he’s allowed 1.2 HR/9 recently, a trend he’ll need to iron out. In the minors, Matthews dominated with a 12.4 K/9 over 100 innings, and a 2.56 ERA, bolstered by a 60% ground-ball rate. That heavy sinker usage, especially against right-handed batters, makes him a tough matchup when he’s dialed. If Matthews can continue to cut down on the homers while keeping his strikeouts up, he’ll undoubtedly remain one of the Twins’ most promising young arms during the stretch run of a thus-far impressive 2025 campaign.
May he convalesce swiftly! We’ll provide more updates here as they roll through from Minnesota.
