FORT MYERS, Fla. — Twins manager Rocco Baldelli confirmed on Wednesday that both second baseman Jorge Polanco and first baseman Alex Kirilloff will not start the season with the major league club.
Jorge Polanco, Alex Kirilloff will miss start of Twins season; five players sent to minors
The two are recovering from injuries that cut short their 2022 seasons. The Twins shut out Boston 11-0 in Grapefruit League play.
March 23, 2023 at 11:47AM
Polanco has yet to play this spring as he recovers from last season's bout with knee tendinitis, although he hit in the cage and took grounders Wednesday.
Kirilloff, whose 2022 season was derailed by wrist surgery, has been playing in minor league spring games on the back fields of the Lee County Sports Complex but will need more at-bats before he's deemed ready to play.
Twins blank Boston
Trevor Larnach went 4-for-4 with a home run and a double Wednesday night as the Twins shut out Boston 11-0 at JetBlue.
Starter Joe Ryan threw five innings, giving up two hits and striking out five, with Emilio Pagan and Cole Sands each throwing two scoreless innings.
Kyle Farmer also homered for the Twins, and Michael A. Taylor doubled twice.
Right fielder Max Kepler (sore hip) was a late scratch as a precaution.
After the game, the Twins trimmed their major league roster to 45 by reassigning infielder Andrew Bechtold, catcher Jair Camargo, outfielder Mark Contreras, righthander Randy Dobnak and righthander Brock Stewart to the minor league camp.
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.
