In spring coaching, no information is often excellent news. Sadly, after a comparatively uneventful first 5 weeks of camp, the Minnesota Twins had rather a lot to announce on Monday.
Three of the 13 pitchers projected to be on the Opening Day roster — nearer Jhoan Duran, setup man Caleb Thielbar and fifth starter Anthony DeSclafani — will as a substitute start the season on the injured checklist, placing the employees’s depth to the check instantly.
The Twins didn’t give return timetables for any of the three gamers. DeSclafani is scheduled to bear additional testing by a specialist, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey advised reporters in Florida.
Duran, who managed to keep away from the IL for his first two seasons, has been recognized with a reasonable indirect pressure after uncharacteristically struggling in a handful of spring video games. Whereas it’s constructive information that Duran’s proper arm isn’t the difficulty, indirect strains are unpredictable and might linger. Brock Stewart and Griffin Jax are the main nearer candidates in his place.
Thielbar suffered a strained left hamstring early in camp and, after progressing to throwing dwell batting observe final week, it was decided that the 37-year-old left-hander gained’t be prepared by Opening Day, March 28 in Kansas Metropolis. His absence doubtless opens the door for rookie Kody Funderburk to make the crew because the bullpen’s second lefty and elevates offseason addition Steven Okert to the No. 1 southpaw function.
DeSclafani’s proper forearm and elbow have been an issue since final summer time, which is why the Twins are on the hook for simply $4 million of the 33-year-old’s $12 million wage as a part of the Jorge Polanco commerce with the Seattle Mariners. The righty missed most of final season’s second half with a strained elbow and has handled soreness all through camp.
Possession slashing $30 million in payroll this offseason made it troublesome for the Twins’ entrance workplace to usher in significant rotation reinforcements and now their lone starter pickup could also be going through season-ending surgical procedure. Louie Varland is predicted to take over because the No. 5 starter and he’s greater than able to dealing with the job, however the Twins had hoped to keep away from dipping into their minor-league depth so quickly.
That starter depth additionally took one other hit Monday, as prospect Matt Canterino’s comeback from Tommy John surgical procedure was halted by a shoulder stain. Canterino seemed nice early in camp, exhibiting that his high-octane uncooked stuff remained intact 18 months after surgical procedure, however now the 26-year-old right-hander is going through one other well being hurdle and can start the season on the Triple-A injured checklist.
It’s unclear how a lot spending room, if any, the entrance workplace has as a result of possession’s funds cuts, however there are a number of unsigned veteran starters on the free-agent market who may at the very least preserve the Twins from needing to depend on prospects David Festa, Simeon Woods Richardson and Brent Headrick as their next-in-line rotation depth behind the 26-year-old Varland.
Entrance-line lefties Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery are little doubt nicely out of the Twins’ value vary, however mid-rotation right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger stay obtainable. Different veteran free-agent choices more likely to be amenable to cheap one-year offers embrace Wealthy Hill, Noah Syndergaard, Vince Velasquez and Dallas Keuchel.
Whether or not through commerce or free company, the Twins will nearly definitely be searching for some semblance of rotation assist if, as feared, DeSclafani is out for the season.
(High picture of Jhoan Duran: Brace Hemmelgarn / Minnesota Twins / Getty Photographs)