MLB Player News

Matthews is slated to start Tuesday's game against the Astros at Target Field.

Though he had struggled to a middling 4.72 ERA and 1.52 WHIP over seven starts with Triple-A St. Paul to begin the season, Matthews turned in a gem in his 2026 MLB debut after being called up by the Twins last week. In his start last Thursday versus the Marlins, Matthews struck out five while allowing just four hits and one walk over seven scoreless frames. He'll be rewarded with a second turn through the rotation on the back of that stellar performance, and another strong showing against the Astros could set Matthews up for a longer-term stay with the big club.

The Twins announced Wednesday that Soto, who is recovering from a wrist ligament sprain, began playing catch out to 105 feet earlier this month and could resume throwing off a mound during the upcoming week, MLB.com reports.

Soto closed the 2025 season on Cedar Rapids' IL after requiring surgery in August to remove a partially detached bone spur from his right elbow, but he appears to have made a full recovery from that procedure. Instead, it's the wrist issue that has thus far kept him out of action to begin the 2026 season. Though he could be closing in on mound work, Soto still appears to be a few weeks away from making his season debut for Cedar Rapids.

The Twins announced Saturday that Rodriguez is still experiencing some discomfort in his strained left thumb and has yet to resume swinging a bat,

Rodriguez had slashed .247/.417/.506 with six home runs and three stolen bases over 25 games for Triple-A St. Paul to begin the season before suffering the thumb injury May 1 on a headfirst slide into first base. The Twins won't clear him to swing the bat until he's free of symptoms of the thumb injury, so Rodriguez would still appear to be at the week-to-week stage of his recovery process.

Roden (shoulder) has resumed taking light swings and is hopeful to begin a throwing program Monday, MLB.com reports.

After failing to win a spot on the Twins' Opening Day roster, Roden was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul coming out of spring training. He was making a case for a call-up after slashing .275/.425/.464 with three home runs and two steals in 19 games at St. Paul, but the left-handed hitter was shut down in late April and placed on the 7-day injured list after suffering a torn labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder. Roden is expected to require a three-week buildup with his throwing program before beginning a rehab assignment in the lower levels of the minors, so he would appear unlikely to rejoin the St. Paul lineup until around the middle of June.

Varsho went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a triple, two runs scored and an RBI in Sunday's win over the Tigers.

Both extra-base hits came off Jack Flaherty as part of two-run frames from the Jays in the first and third innings. Varsho has found a groove in May, and over the last eight games he's batting .367 (11-for-30) with four XBH, one steal, six runs and six RBI.

Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said Saturday that Festa is unlikely to return before the All-Star break after experiencing a setback in his recovery from a right shoulder impingement earlier this month, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Shoulder problems kept Festa on the shelf for most of the second half of the 2025 campaign, and though he appeared to be close to 100 percent healthy for the start of spring training, he ended up being shut down in late February after being diagnosed with the impingement. He was able to start throwing in late March, only to be shut down again when he felt renewed soreness in his shoulder after facing hitters in a simulated game at the Twins' spring training facility in Florida. Festa underwent a stem-cell injection in his shoulder May 8 and will be on a no-throw program through at least the end of the month before he begins ramping up again.

Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said that Sands (forearm) played catch on consecutive days last week and is expected to spend about a month on the injured list, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Minnesota placed Sands on the IL on May 2 due to a right forearm strain, so the Twins appear to be viewing early June as a rough target date for the 28-year-old reliever's return. Before landing on the shelf, Sands had collected one win, one save and three holds while posting a 4.63 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 11:4 K:BB in 11.2 innings across 12 appearances.

Abel (elbow/triceps) resumed playing light catch Wednesday, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

Initially placed on the 15-day injured list April 20 due to right elbow inflammation, Abel hit a snag in his recovery earlier this month, when he experienced soreness in his right triceps following a bullpen session. Abel appears to have responded well after receiving a cortisone injection to address the triceps issue, but he could be built up more slowly in his throwing program following the recent setback. The right-hander will gradually increase his throwing distance off flat ground before advancing to throwing off a mound and then facing hitters.

Laweryson (forearm) worked around a walk to deliver a scoreless inning in his rehab appearance Saturday with Triple-A St. Paul.

Laweryson is working his way back from a right forearm strain, which sent him to the 15-day injured list back on April 11. Since he's been shelved for five weeks with the injury, Laweryson may need at least a couple more tune-up appearances in the minors before slotting back into the Minnesota bullpen.

Rojas is slated to start Monday's game against the Astros at Target Field, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.

The Twins will slot Rojas into the rotation spot that belonged to Simeon Woods Richardson, who may have been moved to the bullpen after logging a 7.71 ERA and 1.86 WHIP over his first nine starts of 2026. Rojas has worked as a starter for most of his minor-league career but made all but one of his five appearances for Triple-A St. Paul out of the bullpen this season before being called back up to the majors earlier this month. Since Rojas hasn't covered more than 3.1 innings in an appearance at any level this season and will be pitching Monday on three days' rest, he likely won't be asked to cover the five innings he would need to hit to qualify for a win. Minnesota could end up turning to Woods Richardson for multiple innings out of the bullpen once Rojas exits the game.