twins/mlb

The Twins optioned Boof Bonser, a righthanded starting pitcher, to Class AAA Rochester on Wednesday.

Bonser was 2-2 with a 5.30 ERA in seven starts for the Twins. He lasted only three innings, allowing four runs on four hits and four walks, in Tuesday night's 7-2 loss to Kansas City.

The Twins will not announce the roster replacement for Bonser until they arrive in Texas. They are off Thursday and open a three-game series against the Rangers on Friday. The expectation is that Kyle Lohse will return to the Twins rotation when they need a fifth starter again on July 17.

A leading candidate to replace Bonser on the roster is Pat Neshek, a righthanded reliever from Brooklyn Park, Minn. Neshek is 6-2 with a 2.05 ERA and 13 saves for Rochester. He has 83 strikeouts in 57 innings.

Beau Kemp is another righthanded reliever who has been pitching very well in Rochester.

The advantage for Neshek is that he's already on the 40-player major league roster and room for Kemp would have to be made on that list.

--Patrick Reusse