Phil Hughes has second surgery

MILWAUKEE – Righthander Phil Hughes on Thursday underwent thoracic outlet revision surgery.

That's right, Hughes had to have a second surgery after the initial one last year did not solve the problem. Hughes ended up on the disabled list twice this season and had a series of tests in the Twin Cities and at the May Clinic in Rochester to see if there was another problem. But the same condition was diagnosed.

Hughes will try to be ready for 2018. He was 4-3 with a 5.87 ERA in 14 games this season, including nine starts.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Greg Pearl in Dallas.

Twins manager Paul Molitor was asked about Matt Belisle's availability before Thursday's game, since he had appeared in three of the previous four games.

"It's probably somewhat unlikely," Molitor said. "I wouldn't say it is an absolute."

Molitor knows he's got to be careful with the 37-year-old, who has gotten most of the ninth-inning work since Brandon Kintzler was traded to Washington on July 31. Before the trade, the Twins tried to give Belisle an extra day off whenever he threw more than 20 pitches.

Glen Perkins, in his first appearance for Class AA Chattanooga, gave up one hit in one scoreless inning of work. He faced four batters and threw 11 pitches, eight for strikes.