WTF are Twins Waiting for with Matt Wallner?

The Minnesota Twins have one of the worst offenses in Major League Baseball through the first half of the season but, to this point, Rocco Baldelli and Derek Falvey have refused to do anything about it.

That includes both external and internal options. Over the weekend, Falvey told reporters that the Twins will not pursue high quality hitters at the trade deadline and, to this point, they’ve keep on writing Max Kepler and Joey Gallo into the starting lineup, even though both hitters’ have struggled mightily all season.

Matt Wallner keeps raking, but can’t buy a big league call up.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old corner outfielder, Matt Wallner, has been CRUSHING Triple-A pitching for the St. Paul Saints most of the season. He’s batting .292 on the year, with a .931 OPS and won Minor League Player of the Week a week ago. But no matter how well he hits (.348 BA, 1.010 OPS since May 27) and Twins’ corner outfielders struggle, Wallner can’t get a call up.

Matt Wallner is our Minor League Hitter of the Week????

Wallner posted a triple slash of .450/.450/.900 (1.350 OPS) with 2 HR, 2 2B, 1 3B, and 4 RBI????#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/reYabVQdTA

— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) July 2, 2023

Matt Wallner update: Since May 27 (day he got 4 hits at Target Field) he’s hitting .348/.443/.607. He obviously deserves a chance to succeed with the Twins, but it appears they won’t allow it. pic.twitter.com/uXRO5DHom0

— Jeff (@MNTwinsZealot) July 10, 2023

It’s obvious to everyone who’s not making roster decisions for the Minnesota Twins that they need more production out of their corner outfield positions. If Falvey isn’t going to acquire that help via trade then he needs to stop delaying the inevitable in-house.

DFA Max Kepler and/or Joey Gallo and call Matt Wallner up for a real chance at being an everyday MLB outfielder. In his first call-up this season, Wallner went 7 for 19 (.368) with a HR, 4 RBI and a 1.099 OPS. In 76 career big league at bats, Wallner is batting .263 with a .812 OPS (130 OPS+).

Is there any doubt he’d be an upgrade over Kepler and Gallo? Not really. So WTF are the Twins waiting for? If this organization has any common baseball sense, they will come back from the All-Star break this weekend without Kepler and/or Gallo on the roster and Matt Wallner batting 5th in the lineup.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan