Minnesota Twins DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Minnesota Twins outfielder Max Kepler had a solid game at the plate in Tuesday's 13-3 win over the Royals. Kepler went 3-for-5 with two singles, a three-run home run, four RBI, and two strikeouts. The 31-year-old managed to pull a sixth-inning William Smith slider off the plate, sending it into the right-field porch for his eighth HR of the season. His power production has been middling, but Kepler has put up a serviceable .271/.320/.412 slash line with 41 runs scored and 41 RBI in 354 plate appearances. He should continue to provide a decent fantasy floor if the Twins continue to hit well as a team.

An MRI exam on Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton's injured right hip came back clean on Tuesday, according to a source, and he's considered day-to-day. Buxton was forced from Monday's win over the visiting division-rival Kansas City Royals at Target Field early due to hip discomfort and isn't in the starting lineup for Game 2 of the series on Tuesday. However, it looks like the oft-injured outfielder has dodged a serious injury. If Buxton isn't available for the series finale on Wednesday, hopefully he'll be back in there for a series opener in Texas on Thursday to face the Rangers. The 30-year-old former second overall pick in 2012 is actually on pace to play in over 100 games for just the second time in his career in 2024, and although he doesn't run much these days, he's been solid with a .275/.334/.528 slash line, 16 home runs, 49 RBI, six steals and 54 runs in 90 games played.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) remains out of action on Tuesday against the visiting division-rival Kansas City Royals at Target Field. Manuel Margot is making another start in center field and will bat seventh for the Twins versus Royals veteran right-hander Seth Lugo. The oft-injured Buxton was pulled from Monday's series opener against KC with right-hip discomfort and is day-to-day moving forward. Margot has hit .833 with a 1.833 OPS in six career at-bats against Lugo but will be a low-upside DFS play on Tuesday in the seven-hole. The 29-year-old Dominican isn't a mixed-league option in fantasy with a weak .238/.293/.346 slash line and a .639 OPS, four home runs, 27 RBI and four stolen bases in 240 at-bats this year.UPDATE: An MRI on Buxton's hip came back clear, according to a source, and he's day-to-day.

Minnesota Twins right-handed pitching prospect Zebby Matthews was officially recalled from Triple-A St. Paul and will make his major-league debut in a start on Tuesday against the visiting division-rival Kansas City Royals. The Twins' No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has an opportunity to stick around in Minnesota's starting rotation for a bit if he pitches well, with both Joe Ryan (shoulder) and Chris Paddack (forearm) on the injured list. The 24-year-old stands at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds and comes with plenty of swing-and-miss stuff. The former eighth-rounder in 2022 out of Western Carolina dominated at Double-A Wichita this year before posting a 5.68 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in four starts for St. Paul. Matthews fanned 114 with just seven walks at three minor-league levels, though. His first MLB matchup against KC isn't ideal, but Matthews could be worth a look as a deep-league streamer if he sticks around in the Twins' rotation.

Minnesota Twins infielder/outfielder Willi Castro hit a home run and drove in three runs in the Twins' win over Kansas City on Monday. The homer was the ninth of the season for the versatile Castro. In August, Castro is hitting .261 with two homers and 10 RBI in 11 games. The 27-year-old has 12 stolen bases this season and provides a nice mix of speed and production at the plate. Nothing wows the fantasy manager with Castro, but he is a valuable player with position flexibility to have on a roster.