New Twins acquisition Tyler Thornburg accustomed to being on the move

At 33 and on his fifth MLB team, there isn't a lot Tyler Thornburg hasn't experienced in his baseball life.

So when Atlanta signed him as a free agent ahead of this season and put him on the Opening Day roster, only to end up releasing him May 29, Thornburg took it in stride.

"I feel like the biggest thing that's helped me through all this is just having done it before," the pitcher said. "I feel like I've been through a ton in my career as far as ups and downs, injuries, feeling well, pitching really well. So, having done that kind of helps me feel even-keeled throughout the whole designating process and understanding I was still pitching well when that happened."

The Twins picked him up on a minor league contract on June 3, bringing him up to the big leagues as a fresh arm Sunday. He pitched 2⅓ innings in the 6-0 loss to the Rays, allowing no hits, walking one and striking out one.

The veteran took over for rookie Cole Sands, a Class AAA replacement starter with the rotation depleted. Sands did decently up until his fifth inning exit that gave Tampa Bay a commanding lead, ending with five hits, five runs and a walk along with five strikeouts. Tyler Duffey pitched the final two innings but gave up a solo home run in the eighth. Tampa Bay's pitchers snuffed the Twins hitters, allowing just five collective hits and four walks in a unremarkable offensive excursion.

Thornburg dabbled at the MLB level from 2012-20 with Milwaukee, Boston and Cincinnati. His most-prolific stint was in 2016 when he pitched in 67 games for the Brewers, with a 2.15 ERA. He sat out the 2020 season after having Tommy John surgery.

In Atlanta this season, he put up a 3.86 ERA through nine games.

"And to get an opportunity here is big time, just to prove that, hey, I can do this very well at this high level."

Chris Archer — the only original member of the starting rotation to not miss a start because of illness or injury — will begin the series in Seattle on Monday, but after that, there are still a few questions marks.

Joe Ryan will likely take the Tuesday game, with Sonny Gray going Wednesday against the Mariners. Gray has been on the injured list with a right pectoral strain, and Ryan had to recover from COVID-19. Those might push both Dylan Bundy's and Devin Smeltzer's next starts back to the three-game series in Arizona that begins Friday.

The Twins already designated Saturday spot starter Chi Chi Gonzalez for assignment and seem likely to return Sands to Class AAA after his two outings this past week. So roster moves could come ahead of Monday's game.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli pulled second baseman Jorge Polanco in the eighth inning Sunday, citing a sore back.

Polanco's exit heralded a good sign for Nick Gordon, though. The utility player left Saturday's game early because of a tight right hamstring/knee. He wasn't in the lineup Sunday until he entered the game for Polanco, even smacking a base hit.