Zebby Matthews was preparing to throw a bullpen inning on Sunday for Triple-A St. Paul when manager Toby Gardenhire called an emergency team meeting.
This was unusual, and Matthews wondered what the meeting was about.
“I knew something was going on,” Matthews said, “but I honestly didn’t know what it was.”
Gardenhire began the meeting by outlining plans for the team’s upcoming trip to Indianapolis, then told the group that Matthews would not be traveling. Instead, Gardenhire said, the Minnesota Twins were promoting Matthews to the majors, fulfilling a lifelong dream of his.
Matthews will make his major league debut on Tuesday when the Twins host the Kansas City Royals in Minneapolis.
The 24-year-old started the season with Class A Cedar Rapids before being promoted to Double-A Wichita and Triple-A and has risen through the Twins’ farm system since being called up by the Twins to join the rotation.
Matthews said about 20 friends and family members will be in attendance for his debut, none of whom, including those closest to him, expected him to make the leap from the minor leagues to the major leagues in just a few months.
“Most people were in shock,” said Matthews, who called his family to tell them the news. “They were like, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s happened already?’ From where I started. Everybody is really happy for me.”
The Twins will be looking to extend their winning streak against the Royals after winning the series opener, 8-3, on Monday night. Willy Castro hit a three-run homer and Royce Lewis added a two-run homer to lead the Twins to the victory, but Minnesota also lost Byron Buxton to an early exit due to lower back soreness.
The Twins said Buxton’s status will change on a daily basis.
Kansas City, meanwhile, is tied at one win apiece in the series and hopes to decide it in the series finale on Wednesday. Bobby Witt Jr. homered on Monday, but the Royals gave up six runs in the second inning and fell to 2-6 against Minnesota this season.
Witt was also hit by a pitch on his left arm, but played in the game.
“I think this loss hurts more than the hit by pitch,” he said.
Royals right-hander Seth Lugo (13-6, 2.72 ERA) is scheduled to make his 25th start of the season on Tuesday. Lugo will be looking to bounce back from an inconsistent performance against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 6, when he gave up six hits and six runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 innings. He also walked four and struck out four batters.
In six games against the Twins (four starts), Lugo is 1-0 with a 1.73 ERA. In two of those games this year, Lugo is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA and allowed one run in 12 innings.
Michael Massie returned to the Royals’ lineup for the series opener after missing Saturday’s game and Sunday with back tightness. Massie served as the designated hitter on Monday and was 0-for-5 at-bats.
If Buxton is unable to play for the Twins, Manuel Margot is one option to replace him in the batting order. Margot filled in for Buxton on Monday and hit a sacrifice fly for his 27th RBI of the season.
Minnesota had not announced its starting pitcher for Tuesday as of late Monday night.
–Field Level Media
