Minnesota Twins DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Minnesota Twins third baseman Jose Miranda (back) was scratched from Thursday's lineup due to lower back tightness, according to Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. He was replaced by Austin Martin. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the Minnesota starting nine in their final series against the Baltimore Orioles over the weekend, as Miranda may remain sidelined. After posting a disappointing .211 AVG last season, the 26-year-old enjoyed an excellent bounce-back campaign this summer as he sits with a solid .284/.322/.441 slash line. Miranda was one of the best hitters in the sport during June and July, as he boasted a stellar .367/.415/.578 line. If Miranda remains out, fantasy managers should expect Brooks Lee to see an increase in opportunities at the hot corner.

The Minnesota Twins placed outfielder Matt Wallner (oblique) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a left-oblique strain that he suffered in Tuesday's contest against the Miami Marlins. Wallner said he still feels the same pain on Wednesday. In a corresponding move, the Twins recalled outfielder Austin Martin from Triple-A St. Paul. Minnesota will now be without Wallner the rest of the week as they attempt to get into the playoffs, and he'll also likely be unavailable for the wild-card round next week if the Twins are playing in October. The Twins' outfield from left to right, respectively, on Wednesday against Miami will be Willi Castro, Byron Buxton and Trevor Larnach. Wallner, 26, had a career-best .894 OPS in 2024 in his third year in the big leagues, contributing 13 home runs, 37 RBI and 26 runs scored in 75 games in a part-time role.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Matt Wallner (oblique) left Tuesday's contest against the Miami Marlins early due to left-oblique tightness, according to manager Rocco Baldelli. The Twins will hope to know more on Wallner's injury on Wednesday, but he shouldn't be expected to be back in the starting lineup. The 26-year-old went 0-for-1 with a strikeout in his pinch-hitting appearance in the sixth inning and was seen grabbing at his side. Oblique injuries can be tricky, so there's no guarantee that Wallner will be available for the rest of the final week of the regular season or even the start of the playoffs next week if the Twins get in. Entering play on Wednesday, Minnesota is two games behind the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers in the wild-card race. In a part-time role this year, Wallner has hit .259/.372/.523 with a strong .894 OPS, 13 homers and 37 RBI in 220 at-bats for the Twins.

Minnesota Twins right-hander Chris Paddack (forearm) faced live hitters on Monday and plans to throw again on Thursday, with a decision point possibly coming after that this weekend as to whether the team will activate him from the 15-day injured list. The 28-year-old has been out since late July with a strained right forearm, though, so he would almost certainly return in a relief role for Minnesota at the tail end of the regular season. The Twins are currently on the outside looking in for a wild-card spot in the American League, so they have work to do this week if Paddack wants to pitch at all in the postseason. Before his injury earlier this year, Paddack was inconsistent as a starter for the Twins, posting a 4.99 ERA (4.18 FIP), a 1.39 WHIP and a 79:21 K:BB in his 17 starts covering 88 1/3 innings pitched. He also had a career-low 20.6% strikeout rate.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler (hip, knee) isn't expected to return from the 10-day injured list in the regular season, which ends this Sunday, according to manager Rocco Baldelli. Knee tendinitis sent Kepler to the IL at the beginning of the month, and he also received a cortisone injection for his hip pain last week. If the Twins secure a spot in the postseason this week, the 31-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder could rejoin them for a playoff run in October. The Twins probably aren't banking on Kepler being a big part of their offense if they are playing in October, though, as he battled injuries all year long and has hit a very mediocre .253/.302/.380 with only eight home runs, 42 RBI and 43 runs scored in 368 at-bats over 399 plate appearances. Since the All-Star break, Kepler has hit .246 (30-for-122) with two homers, 10 RBI and 28 K's in 33 games.