Sep 14, 2026, 5:07 PM ET

Minnesota Twins shortstop prospect Kaelen Culpepper (shoulder) and corner infielder Royce Lewis (shoulder) both remain out of Monday's starting lineup against the New York Yankees due to shoulder injuries, according to MLB.com. Culpepper is missing a second straight start after being hit by a pitch on Saturday night. Lewis left the series finale on Sunday against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians with soreness in his left shoulder. Ryan Kreidler is starting at the 6 and batting eighth on Monday, with Victor Caratini starting at first base and hitting seventh against Yankees right-hander Will Warren. Culpepper, the team's No. 3 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, has looked good so far in his first 30 big-league games with the Twins, slashing .283/.342/.415 with a .757 OPS, three home runs, five doubles, 11 RBI, 15 runs scored, and one steal in 117 plate appearances. Fantasy managers should consider both players day-to-day for now and check back to see if they are available to return for Game 2 of the series against the Yankees on Tuesday.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com

Sep 12, 2026, 10:17 PM ET

Minnesota Twins shortstop Kaelen Culpepper (shoulder) was removed from Saturday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. He was pulled from the contest after getting hit by a pitch in the upper back. The X-rays came back negative, so the team is considering Culpepper day-to-day with a shoulder contusion, according to Aaron Gleeman. Ryan Kreidler took over for Culpepper at shortstop for the rest of Saturday's game. The expectation is that Kreidler will see the bulk of the playing time there until the rookie shortstop is back in the mix. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of Sunday's contest for another update on his status.--Andy Webb
Source: Aaron Gleeman

Sep 12, 2026, 10:58 AM ET

The Minnesota Twins are calling up outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez to the major leagues on Saturday from Triple-A St. Paul, according to Milb Central. Considered the Twins' fifth overall prospect, Rodriguez earns the call to the big leagues this weekend after hitting .262/.414/.500 with a .914 OPS, 11 home runs, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 49 games across 220 plate appearances with the Saints this year. He could have an opportunity to see some playing time in the final couple of weeks of the 2026 season in Minnesota, although he most likely will not see everyday playing time, even though Byron Buxton will miss the rest of the year because of season-ending hip surgery. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound Rodriguez has played all three outfield positions in the minors and has impressive raw power from the left side of the plate. Rodriguez also has some nice plate discipline and should eventually get on base at a nice clip, but his swing-and-miss tendencies mean he probably will not help in the batting-average department. He is currently rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues and is unlikely to make a huge fantasy impact upon his big-league call-up.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Milb Central

Sep 11, 2026, 6:05 PM ET

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) will undergo arthroscopic hip surgery next Friday, which will end his 2026 season, according to Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic. Buxton will finally go under the knife for a hip impingement that put him on the injured list three separate times during the second half of the year. The most recent occurrence put him on the shelf in late August, and he will now officially be a drop candidate in redraft fantasy baseball leagues. The 32-year-old veteran had an excellent first half of the season when he was healthy, slashing .271/.328/.575 with 25 home runs, 45 RBI, 57 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 75 games played. But he ended up playing only 18 second-half games due to his hip, and he hit a lowly .172/.274/.203 with zero homers, one RBI, seven walks, and 17 strikeouts. Buxton should be fully recovered in time for spring training in 2027, but his injury-plagued second half in 2026 reminds everyone that while he still has power upside, the former first-rounder will be a major injury risk.--Keith Hernandez
Source: The Athletic - Aaron Gleeman

Sep 7, 2026, 10:37 PM ET

Across 117 innings (20 starts) in 2026, Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Zebby Matthews has recorded a 9-9 record with a 4.69 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 97 strikeouts. While Matthews' season-long numbers may not stand out as particularly impressive, he's been much better in recent appearances. Across his last 47 innings (eight starts), the 26-year-old has posted a 5-2 record with a 3.64 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts. Matthews' lack of strikeout ability limits his fantasy upside, but he profiles as a potential WHIP asset due to his stellar command (6.8% walk rate). As a matchup-dependent streaming option, Matthews profiles as a quality option for fantasy managers. His next scheduled start will come on Wednesday in Detroit against the Tigers.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 7, 2026, 1:46 PM ET

The Minnesota Twins announced on Monday that they reinstated right-hander Joe Ryan (glute) from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Garrett Acton to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. Ryan is making his return to Minnesota's starting rotation for Monday's series opener on the road against the division-rival Detroit Tigers. The 30-year-old will be a pretty risky fantasy starter in his first game back in the big leagues after he threw only 42 pitches in his only minor-league rehab start. Ryan has been solid for fantasy managers in 2026, though, going 6-8 with a 3.65 ERA (3.42 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 138 strikeouts and 27 walks in 125 2/3 innings pitched across his 23 starts in his sixth big-league season with the team. In his lone start this year against the Tigers, Ryan picked up his first win of the year on April 6, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits while walking three and striking out seven in five innings of work. Now that Ryan is back and recovered from his glute injury, he could be a key asset for fantasy managers seeking a championship.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Minnesota Twins

Sep 6, 2026, 2:39 PM ET

Minnesota Twins shortstop Kaelen Culpepper has been fantastic at the plate ever since being called up for his MLB debut less than one month ago. Culpepper has played in 24 games (all at shortstop), and he's had no trouble living up to the hype that he possessed as a top prospect. So far, he owns a .307/.361/.466 slash line with three home runs, 10 RBI, a 6.2% walk rate, a 19.6% strikeout rate, and 133 wRC+. He's slugged eight extra-base hits, and although he's walking less than he did in the minors, his strikeout rate hasn't increased by much since his promotion. Culpepper's near-everyday role and impressive offensive contributions have helped him emerge as a top waiver wire option in fantasy baseball. He's still available in 89% of fantasy leagues, and he ranks as the #24 shortstop in RotoBaller's rest-of-season rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 6, 2026, 2:31 PM ET

Minnesota Twins outfielder Walker Jenkins has been relatively quiet at the plate since being called up for his MLB debut, but he still possesses the upside necessary to be an everyday fantasy baseball option. Therefore, fantasy managers should still consider picking him up off the waiver wire for the month of September, especially in deeper leagues. He owns a .590 OPS through eight games, and he has already recorded both his first home run and his first stolen base. He's striking out at a suboptimal 21.4% clip, but he's also showing on-base skills with his 17.9% walk rate. Over a larger sample size, Jenkins should pan out to be a productive fantasy baseball outfielder. As it stands, he's available to grab off the waiver wire in 89% of leagues.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 6, 2026, 9:06 AM ET

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez is hitting for power in his limited action at Triple-A St. Paul this season. In 45 games at Triple-A, Rodriguez has 11 homers and 31 RBI but is hitting just .252. Rodriguez has battled a bad thumb injury this season, which has limited his game time, but the power in his bat has shown. The 23-year-old left-handed hitter is the No. 5 prospect in the Twins system and has a 45-grade hit tool with 55-grade power and speed. Rodriguez also has seven stolen bases in his little game time this season. Rodriguez has some work to do on his overall hitting and is a batting-average risk for fantasy, but his power-speed combination is real. The Twins have already called up top prospects Walker Jenkins and Kaelen Culpepper, so they might elect to keep Rodriguez in the minors the rest of this season. But if they do look his way for a promotion, he could have some late impact on the fantasy season.--Brian Buckey - RotoBaller
Source: Minor League Baseball

Sep 5, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan (glute) will throw a bullpen session on Saturday as he tries to return to the team's starting rotation after missing the last month with a strained left glute, according to MLB.com's Matthew Leach. Manager Derek Shelton declined to speculate on what the next step for Ryan will be, but typically, a pitcher who threw a bullpen on Saturday would start on Monday. The Twins begin a three-game series in Detroit against the division-rival Tigers on Monday, so Ryan could come off the 15-day injured list to start the series opener. All of the Twins' minor-league affiliates are off on Monday. "We want to be able to have a conversation with him," Shelton said. "Want him to go through his bullpen and see where he's at to make sure that we're checking all the boxes before he gets back in a Major League game." If Ryan returns on Monday, the Twins could push Connor Prielipp's next turn in the rotation back one or two days. Ryan threw 42 pitches in a rehab start for Triple-A St. Paul earlier this week, so he will likely be on a strict pitch-count limit if he returns on Monday, making him a shaky fantasy option against Detroit. The 30-year-old is still rostered in 95% of Yahoo leagues, though, and can make an impact down the stretch after going 6-8 with a 3.65 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 138 strikeouts in his 23 starts in 2026.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Matthew Leach

Sep 5, 2026, 11:21 AM ET

Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton acknowledged on Friday that outfielder Byron Buxton (hip) will likely need surgery for a troublesome right-hip impingement, according to Matthew Leach of MLB.com. But before that happens, Buxton is still hoping he can find a way to play in 2026. The star outfielder has dealt with hip issues off and on, dating as far back as 2021. He did not experience any problems with it last year, when he went off for a career-high 35 home runs, 83 RBI, and 24 stolen bases in 126 games played, but it flared up in May, and he has barely been able to play for the Twins in the second half. Buxton is currently on the injured list for the third time due to his hip, and it is unlikely that he will return for fantasy managers in the final month of the season. Before the All-Star break, the 32-year-old veteran hit .271/.328/.575 with 25 home runs, 45 RBI, 57 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. But he has played in just 18 games in the second half, hitting .172 (11-for-64) with zero homers, one RBI, seven walks, and 17 strikeouts. If Buxton undergoes hip surgery, it is unclear if he would be ready for spring training next year or the start of the 2027 season.--Keith Hernandez
Source: MLB.com - Matthew Leach

Sep 3, 2026, 10:37 PM ET

Minnesota Twins infielder Brooks Lee is suddenly up to a career-high 22 home runs entering play on Thursday after homering again in Wednesday's 7-4 loss to the Athletics. In his last 11 games, the switch-hitting infielder has hit .319 (15-for-47) with a .930 OPS, four home runs, two doubles, 10 RBI, and eight runs scored to boost his overall 2026 slash line to .250/.299/.435 with a .734 OPS, 77 RBI, 62 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in his second full season in the big leagues. The 25-year-old former eighth overall pick from Cal Poly in 2022 has been much better as a lefty against right-handed pitchers, going 91-for-345 (.264) with 19 of his 22 homers, as opposed to a .218 average (34-for-156) with just three long balls as a right-handed hitter against southpaws. With eligibility at second base, third base, and shortstop, Lee is also valuable for his infield versatility in fantasy baseball, and he's available in 40% of Yahoo leagues with the playoffs approaching quickly.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Baseball Reference

Sep 3, 2026, 11:12 AM ET

Across 88 plate appearances since making his MLB debut on August 7, Minnesota Twins shortstop Kaelen Culpepper is hitting .300/.352/.463 with three home runs, nine RBI, and 12 runs scored. The 23-year-old is widely considered to be one of the top prospects in the Twins system, and he's taken over as the team's everyday shortstop since his promotion. Culpepper has now hit safely eight out of his last 10 games played, and he's hitting .316 overall in that span. Culpepper was having a massive year at Triple-A before getting called up, slashing .271/.367/.478 with 14 home runs, 46 RBI, 63 runs scored, and 17 stolen bases across 343 plate appearances. While his power and speed have lagged behind a bit so far in the big leagues, Culpepper carries five-category potential and should be a waiver wire target for fantasy managers in any league where he's not already rostered.--Will Brady
Source: RotoBaller

Sep 2, 2026, 9:55 AM ET

Minnesota Twins outfield prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez has hit safely in 13 of the 16 games he's played at Triple-A since returning from the injured list and has been on base at least once in all but one due to his ability to draw walks. Most impressive of all was that the Twins' fifth-ranked prospect hit for the cycle for St. Paul on Tuesday night, going 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored. The 5-foot-11 Dominican is the author of a robust .273/.425/.568 slash line this season, with 11 home runs and seven steals in 41 games for the Saints. The left-handed hitter has plenty of pop, registering in the 94th percentile or better in average exit velocity, hard-hit rate, and barrel rate, while also showing an elite ability to draw walks over the course of his minor league career, including a 19.7 percent rate in 2026. His inability to stay healthy has been the limiting factor and what has kept him from debuting in the majors, having played in no more than 65 games the last three seasons. Currently healthy, though, the 23-year-old -- who is on the 40-man roster -- should be considered a high-end stash option for power, though he carries batting average risk.--Jarod Rupp
Source: MiLB.com