Twins sign veteran outfielder David Murphy

When it comes to roster moves, the Twins generally are patient early in the season. When reminded of that on Thursday, General Manager Terry Ryan stared right back at the questioner.

"We can't let the month of April get by," Ryan finally responded.

And that's why the Twins on Thursday signed veteran outfielder David Murphy to a minor league contract and assigned him to Class AAA Rochester. Ryan said the club will let Murphy knock the rust off with the Red Wings and then re-evaluate him. But indications are that the Twins are ready to send down one of their three starting outfielders — Eddie Rosario, Byron Buxton or Miguel Sano — if they don't get going at the plate.

Ryan usually waits several weeks into the season before making such moves, but with the losses mounting and the hole deepening, he feels he has to try something.

"You can't be 0-8 without some things creeping into your mind," Ryan said before Thursday's game.

Murphy, 34, spent last year with the Indians and the Angels, batting .283 with 10 home runs and 50 RBI in 132 games. He spent spring training with Boston, batting .265 in 15 games before being released on March 28. Ryan said the Twins thought about adding Murphy then.

A 10-year veteran, Murphy is a career .274 hitter with a .333 on-base percentage. He's never hit more than 17 home runs in a season.

"He's a good hitter," Ryan said. "He's been a good hitter for quite a long time. The guy is available and we are struggling, of course."

Buxton, Rosario and Sano are hitting a combined .146 with no home runs, three RBI and 38 strikeouts. Rosario and Sano had two of the Twins' four hits on Friday.

Buxton was hit on the back of the left hand with a Mat Latos pitch in the third inning. Trainers looked at Buxton's hand for a few moments, but he remained in the game and stole second base.

After the inning was over, he was replaced and had X-rays taken, which were negative. Buxton is considered day-to-day.

After wrist problems, a concussion and torn thumb ligaments delayed his development over the last two seasons, Buxton and the Twins didn't want to add another injury to the list.

Twins manager Paul Molitor is prepared to not have Buxton in the lineup for a couple of days.

"Where the pitch hit on the back of the hand you worry about a break," Molitor said. "We wanted to get that X-ray right away. Glad that it was negative. I'm sure it will be challenging for him to try to hold on to a bat and make a swing here for a couple of days.''

Max Kepler could see some starts in center to fill in for Buxton.

• Ryan hopes closer Glen Perkins will be able to return to action by April 26, the first day Perkins is eligible to come off the disabled list. But Ryan admitted it might be a couple of days after that. Perkins was placed on the DL after Sunday's game in Kansas City with a shoulder strain. A copy of Perkins' MRI has been sent to Dr. Timothy Kremchek in Cincinnati for a second opinion.

• Lefthander Taylor Rogers made his major league debut on Thursday, pitching two-thirds of an inning in the ninth. Molitor gave Rogers the lineup card as a keepsake.