UPDATE: The Twins plan to recall lefthander Pedro Hernandez from Rochester to take De Vries' start against the Orioles on Sunday, the team announced during Friday's game. Hernandez, acquired along with Eduardo Escobar from the White Sox in the Francisco Liriano trade last July, has pitched in one big-league game, allowing eight runs in four innings against the Red Sox while pitching for Chicago last July 18. Hernandez did not allow a run in 11 innings during spring training.
Apparently Cole De Vries' bullpen session didn't go as well as the Twins hoped on Friday. De Vries has been scratched from his scheduled Sunday start, general manager Terry Ryan said, and will go on the disabled list with a strained right forearm.
The Twins will name a replacement for De Vries once Rochester's game ends later this afternoon, in order to inform the pitcher first, Ryan said. Pedro Hernandez is scheduled to start Sunday's game for the Red Wings, but Ryan wouldn't say whether he will get the call.
De Vries left last Friday's spring training game against the Red Sox after three innings, complaining about tightness in his forearm, just below the elbow. After five days of rest, the condition hadn't improved when the righthander threw on Wednesday, and he cut short his session Friday. The problem recurred when De Vries tried to throw his curveball, Ryan said. It's the first time in De Vries' professional career that he has experienced arm trouble.
It's the second straight year that the Twins have had to scramble for an emergency starter for the third game in Baltimore. Last year, Anthony Swarzak had to step in for Liam Hendriks when the righthander came down with food poisoning on Opening Day.
Swarzak, by the way, is "puffy," Ryan said, after having his wisdom teeth pulled on Wednesday.
