Minnesota Twins News

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Zebby Matthews • SP • Twins

Zebby Matthews Off to a Much Better Start in 2026, a Top Pitcher to Add?

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Zebby Matthews has impressed through three big-league starts this year, and he has emerged as an intriguing pitcher to add in fantasy baseball leagues. Matthews was called up to the majors on May 14, and although he posted a 5.50+ ERA in each of his first two seasons, he's off to a much better start in 2026. Through three starts this year, he owns a 2.37 ERA and 3.59 xFIP with 8.05 K/9, 0.95 BB/9, and 1.42 HR/9. While we'd like to see a couple more strikeouts and fewer home runs, we're in awe over the walk rate. Limiting walks has always been one of Matthews' strengths, but he has taken his control to a new level this year. As long as he continues to pitch at a high level, he'll remain a key bullpen piece for the Twins while offering tremendous upside in fantasy baseball. There's still time for managers to reap the rewards of Matthews' promising start, as he remains available to be added in 71% of leagues.

Yesterday

Kaelen Culpepper • 3B • Twins

Is Kaelen Culpepper the No. 1 Hitting Prospect to Stash?

Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper has continued to showcase high upside at Triple-A St. Paul and enters Week 10 as the primary hitting prospect to stash. Culpepper spent his 2025 season splitting time between High-A and Double-A, which earned him a ticket to the top cub to open the 2026 campaign. However, despite not taking a single Triple-A at-bat prior to the 2026 campaign, Culpepper has done more than hold his own, posting a .246/.349/.462 line with an .811 OPS over his first 48 contests. During this stretch, Culpepper has tallied nine doubles, gone deep 11 times, and swiped 12 bags. Currently, the Twins have lacked much consistent production in parts of their infield, especially at the shortstop position. Given how comfortable Culpepper has looked at the top club, fantasy managers should expect the Twins to call his name in the immediate future. His five-category potential makes him a must-stash candidate in all formats.

Yesterday

Taj Bradley • SP • Twins

Taj Bradley's Next Start Pushed to Friday Against Bucs

Minnesota Twins right-hander Taj Bradley's next start has been pushed back to the series opener on Friday in Pittsburgh against the Pirates, according to Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Kendry Rojas will re-enter the Twins' starting rotation to pitch on Thursday in the series finale against the Chicago White Sox. The move doesn't change all that much for Bradley, who has been really strong for fantasy managers in 2026, going 5-1 with a 2.77 ERA (3.26 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP with 59 strikeouts and 19 walks in 52 innings across his nine starts. In his return from the injured list last week after missing time with a pectoral injury, Bradley allowed an earned run with two walks and seven strikeouts in five innings against the Boston Red Sox for his fifth win of the year. The Pirates are no cake walk of a matchup, but Bradley has earned the trust of fantasy managers at this point and should be in most starting lineups to kick off the weekend at PNC Park. He has had at least seven K's in each of his last three outings, and the Pirates rank second in baseball in strikeouts (520).

2 days ago

Walker Jenkins • CF • Twins

Walker Jenkins Back on the Stash Radar Following Positive Injury Update?

Minnesota Twins top outfield prospect Walker Jenkins has been on the 7-day injured list due to a shoulder injury, but has begun to make steady progress in his recovery. Last week, reports suggested that the former fifth overall selection from the 2023 MLB Draft was nearing a return to baseball activities. As a result, he could return to game action before the end of June, keeping the door open for a major league promotion sometime in the second half. Before his injury, Jenkins was in the midst of his first "full" stint at Triple-A St. Paul, where he appeared in 25 games and held a .256/.396/.389 line with a .785 OPS. During this stretch, Jenkins tallied six doubles, two home runs, and swiped five bags. With Minnesota locking many proven options in the outfield, Jenkins may only need another short stint of action at Triple-A before earning his ticket to the big leagues.

2 days ago

Yoendrys Gómez • RP • Twins

Twins Turn to Yoendrys Gomez to Earn Save, Emerging as Name to Roster in Bullpen?

Twins right-hander Yoendrys Gomez worked around a hit and an unearned run to secure his third save of the season in Tuesday's 5-3 extra-innings victory over the White Sox. Minnesota has rotated several relievers through ninth-inning opportunities recently, but Gomez now leads the club in saves and appears to be gaining momentum in high-leverage situations. After a difficult start to the season, the 25-year-old has posted a 1.04 ERA in May while lowering his season ERA to 4.50. Gomez has shown improved command and poise late in games, helping him climb the bullpen hierarchy. Fantasy managers searching for saves should continue to monitor Gomez closely as his role with the Twins continues to grow.

3 days ago

Mick Abel • SP • Twins

Should Fantasy Managers be Looking to Stash Mick Abel?

Minnesota Twins right-hander Mick Abel (elbow, triceps) was placed on the 15-day injured list on April 20 with right-elbow inflammation, and he had a setback in early May, when he complained of soreness in his right triceps after throwing a bullpen session. The 24-year-old is being built back up slowly, but the good news is he has been feeling better since receiving a cortisone injection in his triceps muscle. Since Abel has yet to face hitters, he probably won't be able to rejoin Minnesota's starting rotation until at least mid-June or later. Still, fantasy managers in deeper leagues in need of starting pitching depth should consider stashing the former first-round pick by the Philadelphia Phillies back in 2020. In his first four appearances (three starts) for the Twins in 2026, Abel posted a 3.98 ERA (2.73 FIP) and 1.57 WHIP with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks across 20 1/3 innings pitched. Abel has above-average velocity and plenty of strikeout upside, but control remains an issue. If he can throw more strikes, Abel could be a breakout candidate in 2026 once he gets healthy. He's rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues.

4 days ago

Connor Prielipp • SP • Twins

Connor Prielipp Remains a High-Upside Streamer to Target on the Waiver Wire

Across 29 innings (six starts) since making his MLB debut on April 22, Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Connor Prielipp has recorded a 1-2 record with a 4.03 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 30 strikeouts. The 25-year-old is coming off a rough showing in his most recent outing, allowing five earned runs across four innings of work against the Boston Red Sox. However, Prielipp logged 14 strikeouts and allowed just two earned runs across his two starts before the blowup against Boston. Prielipp showcased strikeout upside throughout his time in the minors, posting a 27% strikeouts rate across two levels in 2025 and striking out nearly 35% of the batters he faced in Triple-A before getting promoted this season. Prielipp's next two starts are currently slated to come against the Chicago White Sox, making him an appealing streaming option for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.

4 days ago

Brooks Lee • SS • Twins

Brooks Lee Now the Twins Primary Third Baseman?

Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton confirmed that infielder Brooks Lee is the team's primary third baseman going forward after Royce Lewis was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. "Once we made the move to option Royce, we talked about what was best for our club right now. We felt moving Brooks to third was the best thing for our club," Shelton said. Lee will occasionally play some shortstop, but he will mostly see time at the hot corner. It's not like Lee was great defensively at the 6, and he has made four straight starts at third since Lewis was sent to the minors. Top prospect Kaelen Culpepper could force his way to the big leagues soon and take over duties at shortstop in Minnesota, but until that happens, it will be Ryan Kreidler at short for the Twins. Lee, a 25-year-old switch-hitter in his third year in the majors, is currently slashing .254/.309/.395 with a career-best .704 OPS, five homers, 26 RBI, 22 runs, and three steals across 49 games played. He has eligibility at second, third, and shortstop in Yahoo leagues and is rostered in 25% of those formats.

4 days ago

Kaelen Culpepper • 3B • Twins

Kaelen Culpepper Knocking on MLB Door Ahead of Week 9

Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper continues to showcase his elite five-category profile at Triple-A and enters Week 9 as a must-stash prospect. Culpepper opened the campaign with Triple-A St. Paul after splitting the 2025 season between Double-A and Triple-A. Over 113 total games over the top levels last summer, Culpepper posted a .289/.375/.469 line with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases. Through 45 games at St. Paul, the infielder has already gone deep 10 times while swiping 11 bags. He has held a .247/.347/.462 line with a .809 OPS. Over his last 12 games, he has posted a stellar 8:8 K:BB with two of these long balls and four stolen bases. Given that the Twins lack many proven options in their current infield and the recent demotion of Royce Lewis, Culpepper could have his name called in the immediate future. He should be viewed as a top stash target in all leagues ahead of Week 9.

5 days ago

Royce Lewis • 3B • Twins

Royce Lewis Flashing Elite Power at Triple-A, Back on the Stash Radar?

Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis has been putting on an impressive power show since being sent down to Triple-A St. Paul. Lewis blasted two home runs on Saturday and has five long balls in five games with St. Paul. It seems that a demotion was exactly what Lewis needed to get his head right. This power surge could be enough to get Lewis back on the Twins roster soon. The potential has always been there with Lewis, but he hasn't been able to put it all together. Lewis could be an interesting stash candidate given his strong performance in Triple-A right now. He could be on the fast track back to the big leagues.

6 days ago

Zebby Matthews • SP • Twins

Zebby Matthews Dominant in Return to Majors, Back on the Fantasy Radar?

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Zebby Matthews has been highly effective in two starts since being recalled from Triple-A. Through two games (13.0 innings) in the majors this year, Matthews has a 1.38 ERA with one walk and 11 strikeouts. The 26-year-old profiles as a starter who is highly dependent on their breaking ball, and while Matthews' curveball and slider metrics are terrific, we're also impressed that he has kept his fastball velocity around 96 mph. Although Matthews isn't the flashiest name, his modest strikeout total, low walk total, and ability to pitch deep into games should generate some fantasy appeal, especially as managers look to upgrade and perfect their rosters here in late May. He's a waiver wire option for the vast majority of fantasy managers, as he's currently rostered in less than 20% of fantasy baseball leagues.

6 days ago

Taj Bradley • SP • Twins

Taj Bradley Reinstated From Injured List, Starting Against Boston

The Minnesota Twins announced on Saturday that they reinstated right-hander Taj Bradley (pectoral) from the 15-day injured list and designated right-handed reliever Luis Garcia for assignment in a corresponding move. Bradley will make his return and start on Saturday at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox after spending just over two weeks on the shelf with a pectoral injury. The 25-year-old former fifth-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 was in the midst of a breakout campaign with Minnesota through his first eight starts before getting hurt, going 4-1 with a .287 ERA (3.48 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 52 strikeouts and 17 walks across 47 innings pitched. Fantasy managers searching for a starting pitching upgrade should be looking at Bradley, who is rostered in 76% of Yahoo leagues. He threw only 42 pitches in a 1 2/3 innings with Triple-A St. Paul in his lone minor-league rehab start, though, so expect him to be limited from a pitch-count perspective in his return in Boston on Saturday.

7 days ago

Gabriel Gonzalez • RF • Twins

Twins to Promote Gabriel Gonzalez to Majors, Worth an Add Ahead of Debut?

The Minnesota Twins are calling up outfield prospect Gabriel Gonzalez to the majors on Friday, according to Milb Central. Gonzalez is considered the Twins' No. 7 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and he'll come up from Triple-A St. Paul to temporarily take the roster spot of infielder Tristan Gray, who is on paternity leave. The 22-year-old Venezuelan outfielder gets his first big-league call-up despite hitting just .216 (38-for-176) with a .294 on-base percentage, .392 slugging percentage, .686 OPS, eight home runs, 21 RBI, and 27 runs scored in 44 games across 197 plate appearances with the Saints this year. Gonzalez has walked 18 times and struck out 39 times. The 5-foot-10, 165-pounder has plenty of improvement to do as far as his plate discipline goes, needing to cut back on his chase rate at the plate. Fantasy managers should ignore Gonzalez for now, even in AL-only leagues, since there is a good chance he'll be sent back to St. Paul in a few days when Gray returns from paternity leave.

May 22

Kaelen Culpepper • 3B • Twins

Kaelen Culpepper Enters Week 9 as No. 1 Prospect to Stash?

Minnesota Twins infield prospect Kaelen Culpepper has continued to swing a hot bat at Triple-A St. Paul and enters Week 9 as one of the top overall prospects to stash in fantasy. With Royce Lewis now in the minor leagues, Culpepper stands as one of the top options in the system to join the MLB roster. Through the first 42 games with Triple-A this summer, Culpepper has held a .250/.355/.459 line with an .814 OPS. During this stretch, Culpepper has launched nine home runs and swiped nine bags. However, over his last 16 games (since May 1), the former Kansas State standout has been even more impressive at the plate, posting a .277 AVG and a stellar .953 OPS. If he maintains this pace, Culpepper should be poised to earn the call to the majors in the near future. His five-category potential and clear path to MLB at-bats push him to the top of the stash rankings ahead of Week 9.

May 22

Brooks Lee • SS • Twins

Brooks Lee on the Fantasy Radar as Twins' Everyday Shortstop

Minnesota Twins shortstop Brooks Lee has emerged as a potential waiver wire addition in fantasy baseball as managers look for midseason upgrades. One of Lee's biggest strengths is his role; he has played at shortstop nearly every day for the Twins, logging 46 games and 178 plate appearances so far in 2026. He's also having a fair season at the plate, slashing .248/.299/.388 with five home runs, three steals, a 6% walk rate, an 18% strikeout rate, and 92 wRC+. While he's hitting a bit below average, that slash line, walk rate, and wRC+ also represent the best marks of his young career. Because he has flashed modest power and slightly improved on-base skills, Lee has waiver wire appeal in deeper fantasy leagues. With a roster share of 26%, Lee, who is eligible at third, second, and shortstop, remains available for infielder-needy managers in most leagues.

May 20

Zebby Matthews • SP • Twins

Zebby Matthews Strikes Out Six in Wednesday's Loss, Worth Trusting Going Forward?

Minnesota Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews took the loss on Tuesday against the visiting Houston Astros at Target Field, but he had another promising performance in his second start this year in the big leagues. The 25-year-old allowed two earned runs on five hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out six in six innings of work. In his two starts for the Twins, the former eighth-round selection out of Western Carolina in 2022 has a 1.38 ERA (2.65 FIP) and 0.77 WHIP with 11 strikeouts and only one walk in 13 innings pitched against the Astros and Miami Marlins. Matthews settled in nicely after allowing a two-run homer to Isaac Paredes in the first inning, and he threw 66 of his 100 pitches for strikes on the evening. He is scheduled for a two-start week next week, with his first matchup coming against the Chicago White Sox, so he should become more popular off the waiver wire going into Week 9 of the fantasy baseball season. Matthews is only rostered in 26% of Yahoo leagues and deserves a look for his solid control and strikeout upside.

May 20

Taj Bradley • SP • Twins

Taj Bradley to Return From IL to Start on Saturday?

Minnesota Twins right-hander Taj Bradley (pectoral) is throwing a bullpen session on Wednesday, so he may return from the 15-day injured list to make a start on Saturday in Boston against the Red Sox if everything goes well with his bullpen session, according to Matthew Leach of MLB.com. Bradley threw 65 pitches in a minor-league rehab outing with Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday and could return to Minnesota's starting rotation this weekend. This is a reminder for fantasy managers to check their waiver wires to see if Bradley is available. If he is, he's certainly worth a pickup, especially with a potential matchup this weekend against the last-place Red Sox, who currently rank 27th in baseball with a .675 OPS. The 25-year-old Bradley was pitching very well before suffering from pectoral inflammation, going 4-1 with a 2.87 ERA (3.50 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 52 strikeouts and 17 walks in 47 innings across his eight starts. He's currently rostered in 75% of Yahoo leagues.

May 20

Ryan Jeffers • C • Twins

Ryan Jeffers to Have Hand Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks

Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers (hand) will have surgery to fix a broken hamate bone in his left hand and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks, general manager Jeremy Zoll told The Athletic's Aaron Gleeman. The Twins placed Jeffers on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday after he injured his hand in an at-bat late in Monday night's win over the visiting Houston Astros. It's a really tough break for Jeffers and the Twins, as he was hitting .295 (36-for-122) this year with seven home runs, 26 RBI, 26 runs scored, a stolen base, a .408 on-base percentage, a .541 slugging percentage, and a .949 OPS in 37 games across 148 plate appearances. In a best-case scenario, Jeffers might be able to return to the big-league roster in early July. In the meantime, veteran Victor Caratini should do most of the catching for the Twins, with Alex Jackson backing him up. Fantasy managers should be looking to avoid the catching situation in Minnesota with Jeffers out for an extended period of time.

May 19

Emmanuel Rodriguez • CF • Twins |

Manuel Rodríguez • RP • Rays

Emmanuel Rodriguez Needs Surgery for UCL Tear in his Thumb

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez (thumb), who is currently on the seven-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul, needs surgery after an MRI exam showed a UCL tear in his left thumb, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. It's a tough break for the 23-year-old, who is considered the team's No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline. Rodriguez was hitting .247 (20-for-81) for the Saints with six home runs, 18 RBI, 15 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 25 games across 108 plate appearances at the time of his injury. Thumb injuries have been a problem for him, as he had surgery for a right-thumb injury in 2024 and also missed some time last year with a left-thumb ailment. The Dominican outfielder is quickly losing steam in dynasty/keeper leagues as a stash candidate due to durability concerns. Rodriguez has yet to play in 100 games down on the farm in a single season since he became a professional in 2021. His most recent thumb injury could very well cost him the rest of the 2026 season.

May 19

Byron Buxton • CF • Twins

Byron Buxton Returning to Twins Lineup on Tuesday Night

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) is returning to the team's starting lineup on Tuesday night against the visiting Houston Astros and right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. at Target Field, according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. Buxton is finally back in action after missing almost a full week due to soreness in his right hip flexor. Fantasy managers will be hoping that the 32-year-old veteran can pick up where he left off after he clubbed two home runs in his last game against the Miami Marlins last week. The two-time All-Star has picked things up in May, going 13-for-46 (.283) with seven home runs, two doubles, 12 RBI, 10 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 11 games. Buxton has hit .260/.319/.580 overall in 2026 with an .899 OPS, 15 long balls, 23 RBI, 33 runs scored, and four stolen bases in his 169 at-bats. He has also hit .600 with a 1.867 OPS in a small sample size of five career at-bats against McCullers.

May 19

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