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<\/p>\nThe Minnesota Twins found a way to pick up a series win over the Marlins on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Wallner is one of many batters on the roster that is out to a slow start this season.<\/p>\n
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Per ESPN.com<\/a>:<\/p>\n MINNEAPOLIS — The\u00a0Minnesota Twins<\/a>\u00a0sent struggling right fielder\u00a0Matt Wallner<\/a>\u00a0to their Triple-A team and promoted right-handed pitcher\u00a0Zebby Matthews<\/a>\u00a0to start against the\u00a0Miami Marlins<\/a>\u00a0on Thursday.<\/p>\n Wallner is batting just .167 with three doubles and four home runs in 120 at-bats and a .551 OPS. The 28-year-old struck out in eight straight at-bats before the demotion and has 53 strikeouts in 135 plate appearances, the worst whiff rate in Major League Baseball.<\/p>\n “Obviously, Matty was grinding a little bit. I think it’s just a little bit of a reset. When we’ve seen him have consistent at-bats, we’ve seen him have success at the major league level,” manager Derek Shelton said. “Right now, he’s too far in between.”<\/p>\n Wallner hit a career-high 22 home runs in 104 games last season after posting robust OPS marks in part-time duty of .877 in 2023 and .894 in 2024. The Twins have also been seeking more playing time for\u00a0Austin Martin<\/a>, who can play all three outfield spots but has spent the majority of his time in left field, where\u00a0Trevor Larnach<\/a>\u00a0is a regular against right-handed pitching.<\/p>\n Star center fielder\u00a0Byron Buxton<\/a>, who had been slated to serve as the designated hitter on Wednesday, was scratched from the lineup before the game because of what the team called soreness in his right hip flexor.<\/p>\n Matthews went 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 18 innings over his last three Triple-A starts for the St. Paul Saints. Matthews made 16 starts for the Twins last season, but he was the odd man out for the rotation at the end of spring training.<\/p>\n The Twins placed right-hander\u00a0Taj Bradley<\/a>\u00a0on the injured list with inflammation in his right pectoral muscle last week, joining All-Star right-hander\u00a0Pablo L\u00f3pez<\/a>\u00a0and rookie right-hander\u00a0Mick Abel<\/a>\u00a0on the shelf. L\u00f3pez is out for the season following Tommy John elbow surgery, and Abel recently had a setback in his recovery from elbow inflammation.<\/p>\n Matthews was promoted so the Twins could push back rookie\u00a0Connor Prielipp<\/a>‘s next start to manage his workload, but right-hander\u00a0Simeon Woods Richardson<\/a>‘s spot in the rotation is tenuous, too. Woods Richardson allowed eight runs in three innings on Wednesday in a 9-5 loss to the Marlins, and his ERA spiked to 7.71.<\/p>\n The Twins also sent right-handed reliever\u00a0Travis Adams<\/a>\u00a0to St. Paul and recalled utility player Ryan Kreidler for his second stay with the club. Kreidler played third base and center field over a five-game stint last month.<\/p>\n The Twins are 20-24 following Thursday’s 9-1 win over the Marlins and open up a 3-game series against the Brewers at home on Friday.<\/p>\n