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The Minnesota Twins optioned right fielder Matt Wallner to Triple-A after his poor performance, replacing him with pitcher Zebby Matthews, who helped secure a 9-1 win. Austin Martin also excelled in the game, contributing significantly to the team's offense.
Why Minnesota Twins Made Right Matt Wallner Decision on Thursday
The Minnesota Twins entered Thursday's matchup against the Miami Marlins 19-24, partially because of right fielder Matt Wallner. The 28-year-old is slashing just .167/.259/.551 with four homers and 10 RBIs across 32 games.
The Twins optioned Wallner to Triple-A and before the game and called up right-handed pitcher Zebby Matthews, who tossed a seven-inning shutout in the 9-1 win. Meanwhile, right fielder Austin Martin went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, a walk, and a run scored.
While Wallner's struggles were the primary reason for sending him down, Minnesota also did so to get Martin more reps. The 27-year-old is slashing .333/.454/.429 with one homer and 11 RBIs across 38 games.
Manager Derek Shelton explained the context on Wednesday, via The Athletic's Dan Hayes.
“In Austin’s case, the quality of at-bat has been so good,” he said. “It kind of started out as a platoon, but I think he’s in a situation where he’s earned more playing time. Just trying to make sure we find it and then find the right matchup on both sides of it that make sense while keeping the other guy sharp, too.”
The Twins optioned Matt Wallner to Triple-A primarily due to his struggles at the plate, where he was hitting just .167.
The Twins called up right-handed pitcher Zebby Matthews to replace Matt Wallner.
Austin Martin went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, a walk, and a run scored in the game following Wallner's demotion.
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Minnesota Twins right fielder Austin Martin (16). © Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images
It made sense for Minnesota to use a platoon with Wallner and Martin to start the year, as the former hits from the left side while the latter hits from the right. However, the strategy was no longer effective given Wallner's struggles.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder's career is far from over, as he entered the season with a career .829 OPS and had 22 homers across 104 games last year. But for now, it's best for the Twins to let him regain confidence in the minors while Martin continues his hot streak at the top level.
This decision shows that Minnesota is holding its players accountable and won't make excuses, even for its draftees. The organization drafted Wallner No. 39 overall in 2019 and has him under team control for two more years, but it isn't giving him special treatment.
Meanwhile, Martin is building on a 2025 campaign in which he slashed .282/.374/.365 with one homer and seven RBIs across 50 games. The Twins acquired the 5-foot-10, 185-pounder and starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson from the Toronto Blue Jays for fellow starting pitcher Jose Berrios in 2021.
Martin made his MLB debut in 2024, when he slashed .253/.318/.352 with one homer and 16 RBIs over 93 games. The Florida native has progressively improved since then, and he'll become a star if he maintains his momentum.
Up next for Minnesota is a home matchup with the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday.