Twins say conditions are right, call up Jake Cave from Class AAA Rochester

Ryan LaMarre batted .417 over his last week. But he is now back at Class AAA Rochester, as the Twins had a reason for giving Jake Cave a chance.

The White Sox are throwing three righthanded starters at the Twins this week, starting with Reynaldo Lopez on Tuesday. The Twins believe it's a good matchup for the lefthanded hitting Cave, who batted .200 over his last 10 games for the Red Wings but did homer in his one at-bat Sunday.

"Some of the matchups here in the short-term, at least the beginning of the series," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "We thought he might be a good match for us as far as trying to help our offense get going a little bit."

The Twins are using any trick they can come up with to get some consistency from a lineup has often gotten little from anyone other than Eddie Rosario and Eduardo Escobar.

The move also led to a reshuffling of the outfield, as Max Kepler started in center Tuesday with Cave in right. LaMarre has been pretty smooth in the outfield when the Twins have given him a chance. But the Twins can use Kepler, Cave or Rosario in center as well.

"On the actual positioning, I rely on [coach] Jeff Pickler quite a bit," Molitor said. "We all think all the guys we have can go out to center if need be. But we think Cave is a little more comfortable in the corner, and we all know Max when he is out in center has done a nice job."

Righthander Ervin Santana will start for Class A Fort Myers on Saturday as he tries, once again, to return to the Twins following finger surgery in March.

Santana threw 60 pitches Monday during a bullpen session.

After giving up only one run over six innings for Rochester on Monday — and needing only 71 pitches to do it — lefthander Adalberto Mejia has emerged as an option to start for the Twins on Saturday against the Cubs.

"The reports have been his command has been much better," Molitor said. "More efficient. His offspeed seems to be working. His changeup is the only pitch that's been hot and cold."

Mejia, who has yet to pitch for the Twins this season, is 4-2 with a 2.74 ERA in 11 outings with the Red Wings. He battled a blister issue earlier this year.