A wave of fresh talent is reshaping the Minnesota Twins’ roster, this time with a focus on the pitching staff.
Last season, young players like Royce Lewis, Edouard Julien, and Matt Wallner spearheaded a resurgence that led to the Twins’ first postseason win in nearly two decades. This year, it’s a new generation of pitchers trying to replicate that success.
The Twins’ starting rotation has been hit hard by injuries, with Anthony DeSclafani out for the season before Opening Day and both Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack potentially sidelined for the year. This has put immense pressure on the remaining pitchers, and so far, Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa, and Zebby Matthews have stepped up admirably.
Among them, Matthews has been a standout. He quickly climbed the ranks of Minnesota’s top prospects and made his unexpected debut earlier this month. In his first three starts, Matthews has lowered his ERA with each outing, now boasting a 3.00 ERA and a 1.000 WHIP over 15 innings.
His most impressive performance came recently against the St. Louis Cardinals, where Matthews struck out seven batters and allowed just one earned run. Despite a late error leading to a 3-2 loss, Matthews left a strong impression on the opposing team.
Oli Marmol Offers High Praise for Zebby Matthews
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol had nothing but positive things to say about Matthews after their recent encounter.
“It’s a live arm, man. I know it’s not a household name or you’re not facing fill-in-the-blank, Scherzer, Nola, Wheeler. That guy right there, that was impressive,” Marmol commented.
Marmol’s remarks are significant, especially since it’s rare to hear such high praise in the middle of a season. Teams are usually focused on their own performance, making Marmol’s acknowledgment of Matthews all the more noteworthy.
This isn’t the first time a Twins pitcher has drawn attention from an opposing dugout. Earlier this year, Bryce Harper went out of his way to praise Bailey Ober after facing him in Spring Training, which foreshadowed a breakout season for Ober.
Ober has arguably become Minnesota’s best pitcher this year, and the Twins are counting on him as the season progresses. Marmol’s commendation of Matthews suggests that the rookie may be following a similar path, placing him in excellent company.
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