FORT MYERS Fla. — Infielder Elliot Soto had three hits for the Twins on Thursday, but was among six players assigned to minor league camp after the team's 3-0 loss to the Blue Jays in a spring exhibition game at Hammond Stadium.
Twins fall to Blue Jays, send six players to minor league camp
Elliot Soto had three hits in the exhibition game, but was among a group sent down afterward.
Also sent down were pitcher Oliver Ortega, outfielder Ryan LaMarre, infielder Tyler White, and catchers Grayson Greiner and David Bañuelos.
Yusei Kikuchi struck out nine Twins in five innings of work for Toronto, and combined with three relievers on the four-hit shutout.
Twins starter Tyler Mahle went 42⁄3 innings and gave up all three runs, on seven hits and two walks. He struck out three and hit 94.6 mph on the radar gun.
The Twins, who play the Yankees in Tampa on Friday, still have 39 players in major league camp, including 21 pitchers.
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.