After months of playing with a torn ligament in his right wrist, Minnesota Twins outfielder Alex Kirilloff has been placed on the injured list and will undergo surgery.
#MNTwins Roster Moves: Kirilloff placed on 10-day IL, Astudillo recalled from Triple-A. pic.twitter.com/bl4ximingJ
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 21, 2021
Kirilloff injured his wrist back in April but declined to undergo surgery to make a faster return to the lineup. The injury did not hamper Kirilloff’s performance as he hit .251 with eight homers and 34 RBI in 59 games this season.
The injury was similar to the one Nelson Cruz suffered early in the 2019 season where he opted to play through the tear. While Cruz ruptured the ligament later in August, he never required surgery and continued to be a force in the middle of the Twins’ lineup.
Kirilloff wasn’t as fortunate as he will go under the knife in Ohio later this week. No timetable has been established for Kirilloff’s return.
With Kirilloff on the injured list, the Twins called up utility player Willians Astudillo to take his place on the roster. Astudillo hit .254 with four homers over 41 games with the Twins this season but recorded a .661 OPS. Astudillo was sent down by the Twins in June and hit .281 with two home runs over 22 games with the St. Paul Saints.
The Twins will continue to piece their lineup together with Miguel Sanó expected to take over as the team’s primary first baseman.
