The Minnesota Twins made a pair of roster moves on Saturday ahead of their home matchup with the Kansas City Royals at Target Field, shaking up the outfield before Game 2 of a crucial AL Central divisional series.
The team announced they have recalled Carson McCusker from Triple-A St. Paul and placed Matt Wallner on the paternity list. The news was shared about 90 minutes before first pitch on the club’s official X account, formerly known as Twitter, along with a congratulatory message for the Wallner family.
“We have made the following roster moves.
(Congratulations to the Wallner family!)”
We have made the following roster moves.
(Congratulations to the Wallner family!) pic.twitter.com/8bKOTdP9hl
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) August 9, 2025
Wallner, a 27-year-old left-handed slugger, has been a steady power presence for Minnesota in 2025. Entering Saturday, he was batting .218 with 16 home runs, 27 RBIs, and 34 runs scored over 98 games. He’s posted a .325 on-base percentage and a .496 slugging mark across 234 at-bats, drawing 34 walks and continuing to profile as a dangerous bat against right-handed pitching. His recent July surge (.278 average, 4 homers) has helped solidify the middle of the Twins’ order. His temporary absence leaves the outfield thinner, especially after Max Kepler’s offseason trade and with the offense ranking 19th in team batting average, just below the league’s middle tier.
On the other side of the transaction, McCusker will be making his first MLB appearance after earning the call-up. Standing 6-foot-8 with raw right-handed power, he’s been a notable performer for St. Paul, showing the kind of offensive upside that could make him a late-season spark. With Wallner out, McCusker joins an outfield mix that could see Trevor Larnach and Austin Martin take on more prominent roles.
The Twins roster moves come as Minnesota tries to keep slim playoff hopes alive. Entering Saturday, the team sat fourth in the AL Central at 55-60, 11 games back of the division-leading Detroit Tigers and 9.5 games out of the final AL Wild Card spot, which is currently held by Kansas City. Minnesota has gone 5-4 against the Royals this season, making this weekend one of their last realistic opportunities to close the gap.
With the odds against them, the club remains in evaluation mode, looking for young players like McCusker to show they can contribute in 2026 and beyond. In the meantime, the slugger's paternity leave offers a reminder that some moments are bigger than baseball, even in the middle of a playoff chase.
