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With October baseball looming, the Minnesota Twins have an exciting mix of arms. While the rotation seems poised with four solid options (Pablo López, Bailey Ober, David Festa, and Simeon Woods Richardson), the club faces an intriguing decision regarding Zebby Matthews. He has risen through the ranks quickly this season, and Matthews’s pitch mix and demeanor on the mound suggest that a move to the bullpen could be the key to unlocking his potential this October.
Matthews has relied mainly on a three-pitch mix as a starter, featuring a fastball, slider, and cutter. His fastball has averaged 94.8 MPH, but the movement and location have been essential to his success. When he’s on, Matthews's fastball beautifully sets up the rest of his arsenal. However, the demands of a starter often prevent him from maxing out his velocity. That fastball could tick up a few extra miles per hour in shorter stints, making it a more potent weapon in high-leverage situations.
His slider has been another effective tool, with a 39.3 Whiff% and a 23.5 Put Away% when he deploys it with two strikes. When he’s sharp, the break can leave hitters off-balance, and in a relief role, Matthews could rely more heavily on it, knowing he won’t need to conserve energy for multiple innings. His cutter has produced the lowest exit velocity (87.9 MPH) among his top three pitches, but opponents have their highest xSLG (.737) against this pitch. The slider-fastball combination is likely where Matthews would live out of the bullpen.
What could truly separate Matthews as a reliever is his ability to pitch aggressively. His strikeout rates have been solid (21.2 K%), but he’s not overpowering. Shorter outings could allow him to attack hitters, challenging them early in the count and working primarily with his best two pitches. He’s also closing in on a career-high number of innings pitched, so a switch to the bullpen can help the Twins to manage his innings and keep him fresh.
Minnesota’s bullpen has shown some flaws (or at least signs of overuse) in recent weeks, with the manager having a tough time relying on anyone outside of Griffin Jax. Jhoan Durán has allowed seven earned runs in his last 10 innings pitched, but has a 0.88 FIP and a .483 BABIP allowed in that same span. Cole Sands has shown the ability to pitch multiple innings and get outs in high-leverage situations. Jorge Alcalá has allowed runs in five of his last 11 appearances after earning a late-inning role in the season’s middle months. Matthews can’t be a savior for this group, but he can provide another viable option, in the stead of Alcalá if needed or in support of all four of those named above.
Matthews can serve as a swing piece out of the bullpen—ready to enter at critical moments and provide the flexibility Rocco Baldelli values in late-game situations. Also, the postseason always demands flexibility, and teams that can get creative with their pitching staff often succeed more. Matthews could give the Twins that much-needed versatility in October. Whether providing a bridge in the middle innings or stepping up in high-leverage situations, his ability to shift to the bullpen could be a game-changer.
The Twins have seen how valuable converted starters can be in relief roles. Durán, Jax, and Sands were all starters before switching to the bullpen at the big-league level. With Matthews’s pitch mix and the potential to increase his fastball velocity in shorter outings, the team should seriously consider this transition. As the bullpen has endured its ups and downs throughout the season, having a fresh, dynamic arm could provide a critical edge when the shape of the schedule changes next month
Will the Twins allow Matthews to pitch in relief? Leave a comment and start the discussion.
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