Twins' Jorge Alcala could be ready for activation for Boston series

NEW YORK — Jorge Alcala threw a bullpen session shortly before Saturday's game, and Twins manager Rocco Baldelli sounded optimistic that the righthander, on the injured list because of a triceps strain, might be activated for this week's series in Boston.

"Him being here with us, that's an indication of where he's at physically. He's doing much better," Baldelli said. "I would consider [the injury] minor in general. Certainly there was something there, but he's healed up nicely."

Alcala owned a 1.42 ERA and was holding hitters to a .150 average, with nine strikeouts and one walk, in his previous five appearances, so the Twins are eager to resume his development as a late-inning option.

Baldelli didn't get to see Joe Ryan's debut for the St. Paul Saints on Friday, but he heard about it.

"Nothing but ringing endorsements," the Twins manager said of Ryan, a righthander obtained from Tampa Bay in the Nelson Cruz trade. "He pitches with his fastball a lot. It's a real strength for him, and the life on it is very good. He also has some feel for how to move it around the zone."

Ryan allowed one run, a home run by Iowa's Nick Martini, in four innings. Nine of his 12 outs were strikeouts, and he walked only one.

"Guys just don't seem to get good swings off of that fastball," said Baldelli, who isn't ready to discuss whether Ryan, a member of Team USA's silver medal team at the Tokyo Olympics, will make his major-league debut in September. "Very high character guy, works hard. All the things you want to hear."

Ryan Jeffers hit a soft popup to lead off the sixth inning, a ball that only starter Jameson Taillon could reach in time. He did, albeit awkwardly, and the Yankee infielders gathered on the mound to joke with him and let him catch his breath.

When the impromptu bonding session broke up, Baldelli came out to argue that the meeting constituted a mound visit. Teams are limited to just five such visits during a game, and "you never know," Baldelli said, "it could end up being important."

Baldelli pointed out that "they were all just conversing out there in the middle of the field for a period of the time, and then the visit was kind of waved off. I know it was an unusual point, but we're trying to get something going. The Yankees make a play, are having a good time out there and I … was just confused why it wasn't" a mound visit.

Livensparger listened, but didn't change his call. But later in the game, after the infielders again gathered briefly on the mound, the Yankees were charged with a visit. "I'm glad Shane was willing to talk about it," Baldelli said. "That was helpful."