Wallner is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox.
Wallner doesn't yet appear to be in danger of losing hold of a regular spot in the lineup versus right-handed pitching, but he'll nonetheless head to the bench for the second time in four games while Koby Clemens checks in for him in right field. Since returning to action Aug. 12 after a stint on the paternity list, Wallner has gone 4-for-28 with a 36.4 percent strikeout rate in nine games.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Taking seat Thursday
Rotowire
Wallner is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics.
Since being reinstated from the paternity list Aug. 12, Wallner had started in six of the Twins' ensuing eight games while going 2-for-20 with a 3:10 BB:K. He'll get a chance to clear his head and rest up in the series finale while James Outman steps in for him as Minnesota's starting right fielder.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Back from paternity list
Rotowire
The Twins reinstated Wallner from the paternity list Tuesday.
Wallner will return after three days on the paternity list, and he'll reclaim his spot on the active roster from Jhonny Pereda. Wallner is slashing .218/.325/.496 with 16 home runs this season.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Away on paternity leave
Rotowire
The Twins placed Wallner on the paternity list Saturday.
Wallner will miss at most three games while he welcomes a new addition to his family. Carson McCusker was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to replenish the Twins' outfield depth and could see time in right field until Wallner returns.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Blasts 16th homer
Rotowire
Wallner went 2-for-5 with a double and a solo home run in Friday's 9-4 win over the Royals.
Wallner put the Twins on the board with a 434-foot blast off a Seth Lugo sinker in the first inning, marking his 16th homer of the year and his fifth in the last 11 games. The 27-year-old has been consistent at the plate during that stretch, going 11-for-36 (.306) with seven RBI and nine runs scored. Wallner will look to continue this power surge as Minnesota rolls through the second half of the season.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Goes yard in loss
Rotowire
Wallner went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Guardians.
Wallner has homered three times over his last six games, but he is batting just .225 (9-for-40) since the All-Star break. That's a little better than his .208 average for the season, though he should have little trouble holding a starting role in right field the rest of the way after the Twins' fire sale at the trade deadline. Wallner has added a .778 OPS, 14 homers, 24 RBI, 28 runs scored and no stolen bases over 251 plate appearances (69 games) this season.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Lifts homer
Rotowire
Wallner went 1-for-4 with a solo home run during Sunday's 7-2 loss to Washington.
Wallner went yard in his first plate appearance Sunday, tagging Jake Irvin for a solo shot in the second inning. The homer snapped a streak of 11 straight hitless at-bats. Wallner has a dozen homers this season, and he's slashing .203/.300/.450 over 233 plate appearances.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Homers in victory
Rotowire
Wallner went 2-for-5 with a solo home run during Saturday's 12-4 win over the Pirates.
Wallner became the fifth Twin to join the double-digit homer club, launching a 434-foot bomb for the 10th of his season in the sixth inning. The 27-year-old has been incredibly boom-or-bust at the plate this season; he has a .207 batting average and a 29.6 percent strikeout rate but also a .756 OPS. He's still a long ways off from the .894 OPS he had in 75 games last season, so the power-hitting outfielder has some work to do to get his season more in line with his numbers in the past.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Supplies lone run in loss
Rotowire
Wallner went 1-for-4 with a solo home run during Thursday's 4-1 loss to Miami.
Wallner broke the Marlins' shutout attempt in the seventh inning, when he took Cade Gibson deep to center field for a solo home run. It was Wallner's eighth home run of the season, six of which have come since the beginning of June. That hasn't masked the 27-year-old outfielder's struggles at the plate this season, as he sports a .199/.295/.444 slash line with 14 RBI and a 28.9 percent strikeout rate in 173 plate appearances.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Raps sixth home run in loss
Rotowire
Wallner went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 17-6 defeat to the Brewers.
Wallner blasted homer No. 6 for the campaign and his fourth of the month. The 27-year-old has held onto a fairly regular role in the Twins' outfield since coming off the injured list on May 31, and he's been a strong source of pop in spite of a paltry batting average. Although Wallner is hitting .155 over his last 58 at-bats, he's ripped five homers and two doubles with seven RBI during that period.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Out against left-hander
Rotowire
Wallner is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's game in Cincinnati.
The left-handed-hitting Wallner started each of the Twins' previous two games versus southpaws, but he'll take a seat Tuesday as the Reds send lefty Andrew Abbott to the hill. Willi Castro will patrol right field.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Sits against lefty
Rotowire
Wallner didn't start in Wednesday's 6-1 win over the Athletics due to left-hander Jeffrey Springs working the bulk of innings in relief behind right-handed opener Justin Sterner, Phil Miller of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
The left-handed-hitting Wallner has technically sat out against right-handed starting pitchers both of the past two games, but on both occasions, the Athletics deployed right-hander openers in front of left-handed bulk relievers. Wallner still should be a fixture in the lineup when the Twins face traditional right-handed starters.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Getting rest Tuesday
Rotowire
Wallner is not in the Twins' lineup Tuesday against the Athletics.
Wallner has played in three games since returning from a hamstring injury Saturday, but he will get to rest Tuesday. He recorded a hit in each game, going 3-for-11 with a home run. With the 27-year-old on the bench, Willi Castro has the start in right field as Brooks Lee takes over for Castro at second base.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Should return Saturday
Rotowire
Wallner (hamstring) is expected to be reinstated from the 10-day injured list Saturday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Wallner has been out since mid-April due to a hamstring strain but is just about ready to rejoin the Twins after going 8-for-25 with five homers during a six-game rehab assignment. The 27-year-old had a hot start to the campaign, posting a .263/.373/.474 slash line with five doubles, two triples and a homer in 18 games.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Continuing rehab to begin week
Rotowire
Wallner (hamstring) is slated to continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul to begin the upcoming week rather than joining the Twins for the start of their 10-game road trip that begins Monday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
The Twins aren't ruling out activating Wallner from the 10-day injured list at some point during the trip, but he'll likely need to play full games in the outfield on consecutive days at Triple-A St. Paul before he rejoins the big club. Wallner, who has been on the shelf since April 17 with a left hamstring strain, has thus far appeared in three games for St. Paul. He's made two starts in right field and one as a designated hitter while going a collective 5-for-12 with two home runs, a double and a walk.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Set to start rehab assignment
Rotowire
Wallner (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
Wallner landed on the 10-day injured list April 17 due to a Grade 3 left hamstring strain. He progressed enough in his recovery to resume running in early May, and he's ready to take the next step in his rehab program by playing in games at Triple-A. Given how long he's been out, Wallner will likely need multiple games in the minors to get his timing back at the plate before the Twins activate him. Before he was shut down with the injury, Wallner slashed .263/.373/3474 with one home run and three RBI over 67 plate appearances.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Officially placed on IL
Rotowire
The Twins placed Wallner (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list Thursday.
A strained left hamstring forced Wallner to exit Tuesday's contest early, and he'll now be forced to spend at least 10 days on the injured list. The Twins haven't provided any details on the severity of his injury, so it's still unclear if he'll require more than a minimum-length stay. While Wallner is out, DaShawn Keirsey will likely receive the bulk of starts in right field, and Jonah Bride will fill the open roster spot after being acquired from Miami on Wednesday.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Going on IL with strained hamstring
Rotowire
Wallner will be placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Wallner exited Tuesday's game against the Mets after tweaking the hamstring, and an MRI showed a strain, necessitating a trip to the IL. The severity of the strain isn't clear, so it's uncertain how long he might be shelved. DaShawn Keirsey started in right field in Wallner's place Wednesday and is likely due for an uptick in playing time in the immediate future.
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Records second triple Monday
Rotowire
Wallner went 2-for-4 with a triple Monday against the Mets.
Wallner lined a Clay Holmes sweeper off the right-field wall in the fourth inning for a triple, his second three-base hit of the campaign already. The lefty-hitting outfielder is on the strong side of a platoon in right field, and Wallner is slashing .250/.364/.464 with one home run, five doubles, three RBI, and seven runs scored through his first 66 plate appearances (17 games).
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Twins' Matt Wallner: Hits first homer of season
Rotowire
Wallner went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's victory over the Royals. It was his first homer of the season.
It was just his fourth career home run against a left-handed pitcher, which bodes well for him getting more at-bats against southpaws. Wallner is hitting leadoff against right-handed starters and batting .289 overall with a .912 OPS.
