Twins third baseman Danny Valencia wants to play on Sunday but the Twins might decide to take it easy with him because of a sore right triceps suffered in the eighth inning when he threw to first base,
``We worked on it in there," he said. ``And hopefully tomorrow it will be all right."
The Twins are expected to be extra careful with Valencia - after all, Jason Kubel and Jim Thome thought they could be back in a couple of days and landed on the DL.
If Joe Mauer plays on Sunday, it will be as a DH. Mauer has played nine-innings in back-to-back games for the first time he's done that since April. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire will check with Mauer on Sunday to see how he feels.
Mauer did take a foul ball off his right ankle during Saturday's game and needed some time to regroup.
Matt Capps has pitched in three straight games. There's a good chance he will be chained to the bench on Sunday. Capps is just starting to feel better after battling forearm and wrist soreness, and it makes little sense to trot him to the mound in four straight games.
Gardy said after the game that the closer would be - if Capps can't go - Glen Perkins, the Glen Perkins with a 94-95 miles an hour fastball who can now challenge hitters.
