Zebby Matthews made a statement in his season debut on Thursday, delivering seven shutout innings to lead the Minnesota Twins to a commanding 9-1 victory over the Miami Marlins. The win marked the first time in a month the Twins have won consecutive series, snapping a rough patch that saw them go 5-16 from mid-April to early May.
Matthews, who was the last player cut from the rotation competition at the end of spring training, got the call-up from Triple-A to help manage the starters' workloads. The right-hander certainly pitched like he plans to stay, allowing just four hits and one walk over 83 pitches while striking out five. It was a masterful performance that had the home crowd buzzing.
The Twins gave Matthews all the support he needed in the second inning, erupting for five runs. Austin Martin and Josh Bell each delivered two-run doubles off Marlins starter Braxton Garrett, who was making his first major league appearance in nearly two years. Garrett, the seventh overall pick in the 2016 draft, managed just four outs, surrendering five runs on four hits and five walks.
Martin and James Outman led the offensive charge for Minnesota, each collecting two hits, a walk, and three RBIs. The Twins have now won four of their last five games, showing signs of turning things around after their recent struggles. They took two of three from Cleveland last weekend and followed it up with another series win against Miami to kick off a nine-game homestand.
For the Marlins, Garrett's outing was a tough return to the big leagues. The left-hander had a stellar 2023 season with a 3.66 ERA over 30 starts, but forearm issues limited him in 2024, and he underwent offseason surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament. Miami will look to bounce back Friday when they host Tampa Bay, with Janson Junk taking the mound.
The Twins continue their homestand Friday against Milwaukee, with Joe Ryan scheduled to pitch. It's a great time to be a Twins fan—and if you're looking to gear up like your favorite players, check out our latest collection of Minnesota Twins apparel to show your support.