Twins pitchers Dobnak, Rogers see Cleveland hand specialist

CLEVELAND — If you're a major league pitcher with a hurting hand, there's no place better to be than Cleveland.

That's where Randy Dobnak and injured reliever Taylor Rogers had appointments with renowned hand specialist and surgeon Dr. Thomas Graham.

Dobnak's recurring middle-finger strain sidelined him from a scheduled start Thursday after last Friday's seven-inning start in a 5-3 loss at Tampa Bay was his first since June. Rogers accompanied him with a similar middle finger sprain on his left (throwing) hand that placed him on the injured list in late July.

Andrew Albers was recalled from Class AAA St. Paul, arriving in Cleveland just before midnight Wednesday night to pitch on four days' rest. He was called to start his second game in five days, and gave up three earned runs in four innings in a 4-1 loss to the Indians on Thursday, after Dobnak's finger bothered him Wednesday afternoon.

In his previous start Saturday, Albers allowed nine runs in three innings in an 11-4 loss at Tampa Bay and was sent back to St. Paul.

"He threw [a bullpen session] the day before," Twins pitching coach Wes Johnson said about Dobnak. "His metrics were outstanding. He felt great. It was yesterday about halfway through his catch-play that he said it just didn't feel right…No need to rush him."

Johnson said the same about Rogers when asked if he could return yet this season. Rogers — along with Dobnak and Cleveland's Tuesday starter, Aaron Civale — all have been sidelined for months because of a similar injury.

Twins rookie starter Joe Ryan called himself focused on the moment, pitch after pitch, during his 3-0 victory over Cleveland on Wednesday night. He was perfect until Amed Rosario's one-out, seventh-inning single.

Make no mistake: He, too, knew he was chasing perfection, or the franchise's first no-hitter since 2011.

"Oh, I thought about it, I think about it every game," Ryan said before Thursday's game. "If I give up three runs in the second inning in Triple-A, I'll be like, well, there goes the no-hitter. Just jokingly. You can think about it. You just have to clear your mind and not think about it.

"When I'm on the mound, I'm not thinking about anything. I'm pitching."

Ryan said he came within an out or two of a no-hitter in seven-inning minor league games, including one against the Twins' high-A team. New teammate Trevor Larnach broke up one on an 0-2 count with one out in the seventh.

Johnson visited the mound to settle Ryan down if needed after he allowed that one hit Wednesday. Consider Johnson both impressed and measured with Ryan's first two big-league starts.

"It's too early to say that, how good he's going to be," Johnson said. "This league is tough, as you know. He's got some things to work on and continue to get better at, for sure. Is the foundation there? Sure. We're got to come a ways in some other things we're doing, in my opinion."

The Twins will honor the lives of men and women who have and continue to serve our communities and country during this weekend's series against Kansas City at Target Field.

There will be a 9/11 remembrance before and during Saturday's 6:10 p.m. game. The Twins will partner with the Minnesota National Guard to honor veterans and active service members from all five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces for an 18th annual appreciation at Sunday's 1:10 p.m. game.