Max Meyer is finally getting the homecoming he's waited years for—and he's pitching better than ever.
The 27-year-old right-hander from Woodbury, Minnesota, is set to make his first career start against his hometown team, the Minnesota Twins, on Wednesday. But if you ask Meyer about the moment, he'll downplay it, calling it "just another day." Luckily, his teammate Connor Norby—another Minnesota native—is happy to share the excitement.
"Obviously he still lives here. I know how much this place means to him," Norby said. "He was excited to come back. He doesn't ever shut up about this place."
Meyer's journey to this moment has been anything but smooth. The third overall pick in the 2020 draft—tied with Hall of Famer Paul Molitor as the highest-drafted player out of the University of Minnesota—Meyer has battled through a series of devastating injuries that threatened to derail his promising career.
After just two major league starts in 2022, he tore his ulnar collateral ligament and underwent Tommy John surgery, wiping out the entire 2023 season. His 2024 campaign was split between the majors and minors before ending with a shoulder injury. Last season, he was placed on the injured list in early June and later underwent season-ending hip surgery.
Those injuries kept Meyer on the IL each of the past three seasons when the Marlins faced the Twins, making Wednesday's start a long-awaited homecoming.
But now, healthy and thriving, Meyer is finally flashing the elite talent that made him a top prospect. Through eight starts this season, he boasts a sparkling 2.79 ERA. Earlier this month, he delivered a dominant performance against the Philadelphia Phillies, throwing seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball.
"We do this little TikTok trend at the beginning of the year of your biggest predictions for the year, and I think half the team, including myself, said that if he's healthy, he's an all-star," Norby said. "He's a bulldog on the mound. He fills up the strike zone. He's got his sweeper, he's got his fastball. He's got his slider. He does whatever he wants whenever he wants to. Yeah, he's big-time for us."
Meyer, who was originally drafted by the Twins in the 34th round in 2017 before choosing to attend college, will face a familiar opponent in a familiar setting. While he may not show it outwardly, the moment isn't lost on him.
"I'm sure there will be a lot of people out here. I know my parents got tickets for some people," Meyer said. "But yeah, I don't really go on my phone. I'm guessing a lot of people texted me, but I haven't responded to maybe anyone. They'll probably be at the game, though, so that'll be fun."