The Twins are running out of easy answers with Zebby Matthews.
Minnesota is hanging around the edges of the American League playoff race, which means every pitching decision now comes with extra weight. Matthews is still in the starting rotation, but the case for moving him to the bullpen keeps getting stronger - and his right foot might be forcing the issue.
That problem flared again on Friday, when Matthews was warming up to begin the sixth inning and had to leave after the blister on his right foot started bleeding. It was the same injury that cut short his July 4 start at Yankee Stadium.
"That mound in New York was rock-hard because of how hot it was, and he ripped it open," Derek Shelton said. "We're trying to laser it to get it to the point where it's manageable. It's manageable, but the wear and tear of multiple pitches rips it off."
Minnesota has tried to stay ahead of it. Matthews is using a pitching toe, meant to keep the shoe from wearing through as his foot drags across the dirt.
Even so, the blister keeps coming back. Matthews put it plainly: "We keep covering it, and it keeps ripping."
That is a brutal setup for a starter. Every fifth day brings another chance for the same problem to reopen, and that leaves the Twins wondering whether the routine itself is making things worse.
There are a few ways Minnesota could handle the situation if it decides to shift him out of the rotation. Joe Ryan’s return from a glute strain could create the cleanest opening. Ryan reportedly played catch on flat ground earlier this week, and if he comes back, the Twins would have another established starter to plug in without completely rearranging things.
Another option would be a piggyback setup with Matthews and Connor Prielipp, letting one handle the first part of the game before turning it over to the other. Minnesota could also just use Matthews in a more traditional relief role if it decides his stuff fits shorter outings better.
The appeal is easy to see. Matthews has been better the first time through a lineup, posting a .780 OPS against in that split compared with .854 the second time hitters see him.
He’s also throwing a four-seam fastball that averages 95.2 mph, and a bullpen role could let that pitch tick up even more. That would matter, especially with Matthews having allowed a .505 slugging percentage this season.
His slider adds to the argument. Matthews throws it more than 20% of the time, and it has generated a 34.5% whiff rate.
In shorter bursts, that kind of pitch can become a real weapon. He’s also used six pitches this season, but in relief the Twins could ask him to simplify things: lean on the fastball, lean on the slider, and attack without worrying about getting through a lineup three times.
The bigger issue is timing. Minnesota still needs innings, and the rotation can’t afford to lose another dependable arm unless there’s a clear replacement.
If Ryan is ready, the path gets easier. If he isn’t, the Twins may need Matthews to stay stretched out.
If Ryan returns but isn’t right, that only muddies things further.
Still, the foot injury keeps changing the math. A starter who can’t get through his outings without reopening the same wound doesn’t help much, no matter how badly the team needs him. A healthy Matthews working two or three strong innings out of the bullpen might end up giving Minnesota more than an injured Matthews trying to grind through five.
Matthews is scheduled to start today’s series finale against Baltimore, and that outing may tell the Twins a lot about what comes next.
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