Matthews Dominates Mound

Matthews' New Mindset Turns Him Into a Stabilizer

Matthews was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul on May 21 after a shaky start to his big-league career. Since then, he has allowed two or fewer runs in four of his five June starts, per Sacramento Bee. His strikeout rate has actually dipped — from 28.4% down to around 17.9% in some stretches — but that is by design. He now focuses on contact management and hitting his spots rather than chasing strikeouts.

Matthews posted a 66.3% strike rate on Sunday, throwing 59 of 89 pitches for strikes, according to Field Level Media. Manager Derek Shelton has praised Matthews' ability to "stay in the zone while evolving his secondary stuff." The 26-year-old right-hander holds a 4-5 record, but his 1.20 WHIP over his last eight starts suggests poor run support — not poor pitching — is the bigger problem.

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Royce Lewis and Caratini Power the Twins Offense

The Twins got the offense they needed from back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning. Royce Lewis and Victor Caratini went deep in consecutive at-bats, giving Minnesota enough cushion to hold on, according to The State. Houston's Cam Smith answered with two solo home runs of his own, keeping it tight at 5-4.

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Three Starters Down as Twins' Rotation Hits Crisis Point

Matthews' strong outing comes at a critical time. Bailey Ober has been on the injured list since May 30 with right elbow inflammation. Mick Abel — acquired from Philadelphia for All-Star closer Jhoan Duran — was recommended for arthroscopic elbow surgery after a second opinion on June 24, per Sports Illustrated. Kendry Rojas, 23, has bounced between the IL and Triple-A all month with triceps and elbow issues.

With three-fifths of its projected rotation sidelined, Minnesota has leaned on "bulk pitchers" and bullpen games to fill the gaps, according to The News Tribune. The bullpen ranks 29th in MLB with a 5.09 ERA entering the series, which is why Matthews going deep into games — seven innings Sunday — matters so much to the team's survival.

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Banda's Injury Freezes Twins' Trade Deadline Strategy

Anthony Banda, 32, had been one of the Twins' most attractive trade chips heading into July. The left-handed reliever holds two saves and a 4.46 ERA this season. His move to the 15-day IL with a lat strain now freezes his trade value until at least August, complicating what was already a difficult deadline picture, per Fresno Bee.

The Twins recalled reliever Cody Laweryson to fill the roster spot. Bailey Ober began a rehab assignment at High-A Cedar Rapids on June 28, throwing 50 pitches — a hopeful sign that he could return before the All-Star break. For now, Minnesota's path forward runs through Matthews, who has quietly become the most dependable arm on the staff.

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