As suspension nears its end, Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco gears up for rehab assignment

DETROIT – Gene Glynn made the phone call Wednesday, as he has nearly every week since spring training. But Glynn will soon be able to talk to Jorge Polanco in person.

"I check in with him, find out how his workouts are going, let him know about anything we're doing here that he should know about," said the Twins third-base coach, in charge of instructing the infielders. "Let him know we're thinking of him."

Polanco has taken part in daily workouts and frequent extended spring training games since his 80-game steroid suspension began, but that's about to change. The 24-year-old shortstop becomes eligible for a rehab assignment Sunday, and the Twins plan to send him to Class AAA Rochester. If there are no rainouts before then, Polanco will be activated July 2.

"He's ready. He's excited to get going," Glynn said. "He sounded very upbeat, really good."

Polanco jammed a finger on his throwing hand, which limited his work last week, but he's fine now. The Twins have used the time to work on Polanco's defense, sending roving coach Sam Perlozzo to work with him.

"Mobility work, movement patterns — things you normally don't do with a guy when he's playing every day," said Derek Falvey, the Twins chief baseball officer.

When Miguel Cabrera dropped his bat and grabbed his left arm Tuesday, another Miguel standing nearby knew exactly what he was feeling.

The injuries weren't identical, but the prognosis is: Cabrera, who ruptured his left biceps, will miss the rest of 2018, just as Sano did in 2014 after surgery to replace an elbow ligament.

"It made me think of the surgery," Sano said of Cabrera's reaction. "I thought it was terrible. I hoped he would be OK."

An informal poll of Twins relievers determined that Fernando Rodney might be the only bullpen member with enough stature to ride Comerica Park's bullpen cart into a game.

"If I rode in that cart and then gave up runs?" said one pitcher. "I'd never hear the end of it."

Rodney, though, became the third pitcher this season to accept the offer, kicking up his cleats Tuesday as he rode across the center field grass before being delivered just behind second base.

He'll likely be the only Twin, though, manager Paul Molitor mused.

"I would imagine some of the guys who have been around for a while would not let any of our less-tenured pitchers come close to that thing," the manager said. "There are a couple of guys I just can't see riding."

• Ervin Santana will throw off a mound Friday in Fort Myers, Fla., his first bullpen session since the Twins ended his rehab assignment last month. Santana has been playing catch and will throw at least two bullpens before the Twins decide his next step.

• Joe Mauer went 0-for-4 in Rochester's 4-3 victory Wednesday, bringing him to 0-for-10 on his rehab assignment. "Not too concerned about results," Molitor said. "Just getting in there and seeing pitches was probably good for him." Mauer will meet the Twins in Cleveland on Friday, Falvey said, presumably to be activated from the disabled list.