The Twins might know sometime next week when they can get Byron Buxton back in the lineup.
Byron Buxton's return looms for the Twins
The outfielder will work out with the team this week before a rehabilitation course for him is plotted.
August 8, 2021 at 5:48AM
Buxton is coming off a good week of workouts at Target Field and is scheduled to go through pregame drills with the team when it plays the White Sox in a three-game series that begins Monday.
"Yeah, Buck has done very well and things seem to be going in a good direction," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "When we get home, our plan is to have Buck join us on the field for some on-field baseball workouts, reasonably full workouts. I think we'll be able to learn a lot and make a good assessment as far as where he's at by the middle of next week and probably better understand what the next steps are going to be for him. But very good signs and I look forward to seeing him run around."
That means if Buxton looks good in those workouts, the club will plot a rehabilitation assignment course for him.
Buxton hit .426 with an .827 slugging percentage in April while winning AL Player of the Month honors. He landed on the injured list in May with a hip strain but recovered and was batting .369 with 10 homers when he was hit by a pitch and suffered a fractured left hand on June 21. He's missed 38 games since.
Barring any setbacks, the Twins should have a better idea soon of when No. 25 will return to the lineup. After a rehab assignment, of course.
"I do understand that going on multiple rehab assignments can be frustrating," Baldelli said. "I totally understand that sentiment. I haven't even talked to Buck about it yet, but I do know from experience and having seen other guys go through it, that can be something that guys don't want to do.
"They get to a point where they just want to get back and play, but I don't want to let any frustration get in the way of doing the right thing. I want to make sure that he is healthy and confident and able in every way when he rejoins us and he's been out for a little while so we will assess that probably this week and have a better feel for that probably this week."
Donaldson, Arraez out
Josh Donaldson drove in the winning run on Friday but is still being nagged by a sore right hamstring. Luis Arraez tweaked his right knee on Friday while making a play in the field, tried to hit an inning later, fell down while swinging and had to leave the game.
Neither were in Saturday's lineup. Baldelli hoped they could be available to pinch hit late in the game but wasn't sure when he met with media before the game.
"I do think that they could come in the game later in the game at this point and potentially help us," Baldelli said.
Minaya steps up
Twins reliever Juan Minaya has made 135 appearances in his major league career, 125 of them with the White Sox. At age 30, he's still trying to establish himself in the majors. If he can pitch like he did on Friday in a 5-4 extra inning win over Houston, he has a chance to stick around.
Minaya can hit 95 miles per hour with his fastball, but his out pitch is a changeup that sweeps and dips away from righthanded hitters. It was that pitch that appeared to baffle Astros hitters on Friday as he threw 1-1/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win. It wasn't smooth, as Jason Castro reached on Mitch Garver's error at first to put runners on first and third with two out. Jose Altuve then dropped a bunt toward third that Miguel Sano had to run in to grab then rocketed his throw to first to get Altuve by half a step to end the game.
"Juan Minaya was fantastic," Baldelli said. "I said to [pitching coach] Wes [Johnson] during Juan's outing that, man, he looks good. His stuff looks great. He looks composed. Then he goes out there and throws the ball great.
"Obviously that inning didn't go as smoothly as you would have hoped. So what did he do? Just continued to make another good pitch. Just kept doing his job and doing it well. He looks great. Certainly filling a nice role for us."
Etc.
Righthanders Randy Dobnak (middle finger strain) and Luke Farrell (oblique strain) have recovered enough to throw bullpen sessions on Monday at Target Field.
Lefthander Taylor Rogers (middle finger sprain) has elected to not have surgery and will continue to rehab the injury.
Robust competition is likely for righthander Roki Sasaki, whose agent suggests a “smaller, midmarket” team might be a good route to take, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are said to be the favorites to land him.
