Twins righthander Tyler Duffey, called up for an emergency start on Suday, had to leave his start in the fifth inning Sunday after being struck in the right shoulder area with a line drive off the bat of Matt den Dekker.

On a 3-2 pitch, den Dekker hit a liner back up the middle that Duffey had no time to catch or avoid. The ball deflected off of Duffey and toward third base as Den Dekker reached first safely. Duffey never went down and pounded his fist into his glove as manager Paul Molitor and trainer Dave Pruemer went to the mound.

Duffey was removed from the game. He was later diagnosed with a right shoulder contusion.

The Twins are trying to avoid being swept in a series for the fourth time this year (already!) and their task won't be easy as the Nationals send Optimus Prime to the mound today. Prime is 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA through three starts, and he's coming off of an outing during which he shut out the Braves for eight innings while reaching double-digit strikeouts for the first time this season.

Righthanded hitters have had better success than lefties against Prime. This year is no different (.276 vs. .119)

Byung Ho Park has been freed. Park is in the lineup today, playing first and batting cleanup. The Twins' designated hitter has been stuck on the bench in interleague play because of the no-DH rule in the NL and Joe Mauer being Joe Mauer again.

Tyler Duffey is up to make an emergency start in place of the sore-backed Ervin Santana. And it just happens to be in a National League park. Duffey has made 96 appearances since being drafted in 2012 but has not had an official plate appearance. I'm not even sure if he's taken batting practice. Ever.

UPDATE: Duffey said he practiced bunting during spring training and thinks he might have taken batting practice while at Class AA. Twins manager Paul Molitor hopes Duffey bats with runners on base so all he has to do is get a bunt down.

Duffey, by the way, played at Rice with Nats third baseman Anthony Rendon.

Roster moves are coming. Danny Santana is starting at third base today at Class A Fort Myers and looks ready to be activated from the disabled list on Monday. The Twins might announce a move after today's game to clear space on the 25-man roster for him. The guess is Duffey, but who knows? Ervin Santana's back is better after soreness on Friday led to him being scratched from his start today. The Twins will want Santana to throw in the bullpen to prove he's fit to return to the rotation before they give him a start.

I asked Molitor if they want to keep Duffey around until Santana proves he's healthy, and Molitor said the club is checking to see if they can bring Duffey back quickly if they send him down and Santana isn't ready to go in a few days. A player must remain in the minors for at least 10 days once he's sent down.

Molitor also isn't against starting Miguel Sano at third again while Trevor Plouffe recovers from a sore back. Sano looked solid there on Saturday, assisting on two plays. Molitor likes Sano's body control and how aggressive he is coming in on balls.

Twins

Eduardo Nunez, 3B
Brian Dozier, 2B
Miguel Sano, RF
Byung Ho Park, 1B
Eddie Rosario, LF
Eduardo Escobar, SS
John Ryan Murphy, C
Byron Buxton CF
Tyler Duffey, RHP

Nationals

Matt den Dekker, RF
Michael A Tayolr, CF
Daniel Murphy, 2B
Ryan Zimmerman, 1B
Anthony Rendon, 3B
Jayson Werth, LF
Wilson Ramos, C
Stephen Drew, SS
Optimus Prime, RHP