MILWAUKEE — Kurt Suzuki is out of the lineup today, which is normal for a day game after a night game. But he's probably got a day off coming anyway.
Suzuki was stunned by a foul ball that hit the side of his catcher's mask on Wednesday, but stayed in the game. After talking to him Thursday morning, Twins manager Paul Molitor got a little more information. Suzuki said he feels fine today, but not so much last night.
"He had a lot of numbness at the time. He said he couldn't feel the side of his face," Molitor said. "I think he said he blacked out, which is not good."
But Suzuki answered all the questions posed by the Twins training staff at the time, satisfying the league's concussion protocol, and he waved off further help. Just another day behind the plate for the Twins' catcher.
"He takes a beating," Molitor said.
John Ryan Murphy takes over today, batting seventh, and he has a surprising hitter right behind him: pitcher Ricky Nolasco, batting eighth. The reason, Molitor said, is "I'd rather have Ricky bunt over Murphy or Escobar than Buxton, [and] try to keep things a little clearer for him to run the bases. … It's a little bit of a crapshoot, but you just have to trust how you see it most likely unfolding."
He's got a new leadoff hitter, too, with Jorge Polanco at third base, giving Eduardo Nunez a day off.
About 14,000 kids were at Miller Park three hours before the game today, learning about weather as part of the Brewers' "Weather Day" promotion in conjunction with area schools. So it should be a good crowd for today's 12:40 finale.
Here are today's lineups:
TWINS
Polanco 3B
Dozier 2B
Mauer 1B
Sano RF
Rosario LF
Escobar SS
Murphy C
Nolasco RHP
Buxton CF
BREWERS
Santana RF
Gennett 2B
Braun LF
Lucroy C
Carter 1B
Hill 3B
Flores CF
Jungmann RHP
Villar SS