PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — Eddie Rosario is in the Twins' lineup for the first time in 11 days, but only as the designated hitter. The Twins are being careful with the tendinitis in his right arm, but manager Paul Molitor wants his starting left fielder to start getting at-bats again with only 10 days remaining before they break camp.
Rosario has been doing some throwing to test the arm, and he came through the program pain-free on Wednesday, Molitor said, so he's encouraged. It will probably be another couple of days before they put him in the outfield, and the manager suggested that that might occur in minor-league games, with Rosario instructed to simply toss the ball to an infielder rather than put his full strength behind a throw.
"We all know Eddie's tendency to try to make every throw," Molitor said. "We want to limit his have-to factor of throwing in a game."
Molitor said the Twins don't believe the problem is anything structural, so it's just a matter of letting the soreness fade, and then being proactive about a training program to keep him loose.
"We just have to get him to understand he has to be a little diligent about whatever program they put him on to get ahead of it," Molitor said. "We've been working with him for awhile to try to eliminate some of that tail on his throws."
Rosario hasn't faced live pitching since March 4, so some rustiness will be expected. Here is the lineup the Twins will put around him for their third game at Charlotte Sports Park in six days:
TWINS
Granite CF
Adrianza 2B
Escobar 3B
Rosario DH
Garver C
Vargas 1B
Aybar SS
Heisey LF
LaMarre RF
Gibson RHP
RAYS
Kiermaier CF
Gomez RF
Span LF
Cron 1B
Wendle 2B
Duffy 3B
Hechavarria DH
Sucre C
Robertson SS
Eovaldi RHP
