KANSAS CITY, Mo. The sick Minnesota Twins added two more names to their injured list on Saturday when Jake Odorizzi was sidelined with bruised ribs and fellow right-hander Zack Littell was sidelined due to inflammation of the right arch.
Both players were injured during a 7-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.
The Twins also moved right-hander Homer Bailey to the 45-day injured list after a setback in his recovery from biceps tendinitis. The moves prompted the Twins to buy the contract from left-hander Danny Coulombe and right-hander Sean Poppen to return to the active roster. Both had been on the four-man taxi squad for the road trip.
“Most teams have to deal with schedules that don’t necessarily look like the opening day,” said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, whose team has been particularly hard hit. “Some of these teams – and we want to be in this group – just go out and play and look for ways to win. Our boys make no excuses.”
However, there would be many excuses to make.
Talented outfielder Byron Buxton has to deal with left shoulder injury and catcher Mitch Garver an intercostal strain, both landing on the injured list this week. Third baseman Josh Donaldson, who has a strained right calf, has not played since July 31st. Lawyer Cody Stashak is out for nearly two weeks with lower back inflammation.
None of these players are expected back soon.
“I’m not really focused on any of the individual dates right now,” Baldelli said before the series’ opening. “I’m not sure if those guys will meet us [on Monday in Cleveland]. Could it be close? Yes. I think it could be close. Is it possible? Yes. But I probably would not mention it and just leave it at that, because we are not really sure at this point. “
Just about the only positive news about injuries for the Twins was the return of Luis Arraez to the lineup Saturday night. He had missed three consecutive games with some lingering pain in his right knee.
It is not only the injuries that have been prevented for so many players, but also the quality of talent that has been undergone. Donaldson signed a $ 92 million, four-year contract to add some pop to the lineup, but the former American League MVP has had just 22 at-bats in seven games. Buxton is a former no. 2 general concept catches that showed signs of starring when he was healthy, although the inability to this season is simply the continuation of a career-long trend.
Now the Twins have lost Odorizzi, who was 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA while earning his first All-Star tie last season. He went into the fourth inning on Friday night after being drilled into the side by a liner of Alex Gordon’s bat.
“I saw the replay, and it missed my elbow by a few inches,” Odorizzi said. “All things considered, I feel pretty lucky I missed this. I’ll be fine for a little while. I just need to manage the pain.”
Baldelli spoke in the spring training about depth to be one of his club’s strongest attributes.
Now it is put to the test.
“We have a lot of guys who can really play and really can pitcher,” he said, “so look forward to seeing what happens next. We’re still in this run of a lot of games to play, so we’ll be relying on guys. all over the place, and it’s starting tonight. “
.
