Daniel Matthews: Everything you need to know

The Twins optioned Matthews to Triple-A St. Paul on Friday. Matthews had been a candidate to make Minnesota's Opening Day rotation, but the 25-year-old will come up short. In 2025, Matthews made 16 starts, posting a 5.56 ERA and an 88:24 K:BB across 79.1 innings. Matthews' move to Triple-A likely means Mick Abel will have a spot in the big-league rotation.

Matthews has a chance to win a rotation spot for the Twins this spring, and one more spot is now open in the wake of Pablo Lopez's elbow injury, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports. Leach surmised that Taj Bradley and Simeon Woods Richardson were likely ahead of Matthews in the pecking order to begin spring training, but Lopez's injury now opens up a third spot in the rotation. Mick Abel and David Festa (shoulder) are also options for the Twins.

Matthews is not scheduled to make a start this weekend in Philadelphia. Matthews had tentatively lined up to pitch the regular-season finale Sunday, but the Twins have Simeon Woods Richardson scheduled to take the ball that day instead. The righty bounced back from a couple rough outings to throw seven innings of one-run ball versus the Rangers on Tuesday in what turned out to be his final start of the season. Matthews will finish with a 5.56 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 88:24 K:BB over 79.1 frames covering 16 starts for Minnesota in 2025.