Twins third baseman Danny Valencia was held out of Sunday's 5-4 victory over San Diego because of a sore right triceps, but he hopes to play Tuesday when the Twins open a three-game series at San Francisco.
He hopes treatment Sunday and Monday will enable him to return to the lineup. "It feels a lot better than I thought it was going to feel," Valencia said.
Valencia, who homered for the only run of Saturday's 1-0 victory, was injured in the eighth inning making a throw to first. He said the pain initially was in his biceps but was more in his triceps Sunday.
"We don't think it's anything serious," trainer Rick McWane said.
Matt Tolbert filled in at third for Valencia on Sunday and delivered a key two-out, go-ahead double in the seventh inning.
Other injury updates • Designated hitter Jim Thome (back/quadriceps) worked out in Fort Myers, Fla., on Sunday after having his workout Saturday cut short by the flu. The plan is for him to get some at-bats in simulated games on Monday and Wednesday.
The Twins had held out hope that Thome would be available sometime during the upcoming road trip. But manager Ron Gardenhire pointed out that Thome hasn't played in any games in Florida yet.
• First baseman Justin Morneau (left wrist) will have the cast taken off Friday or Saturday. After that, he will need a few days to regain motion and strength. He could be swinging a bat a week after having the cast removed. "That doesn't mean he'll be back to playing games," McWane said, meaning Morneau might not return until the first full week of July.
