The Minnesota Twins are finally getting some bodies back after an early onslaught of injuries to start the season.
Injuries to third baseman Trevor Plouffe, utility player Danny Santana, closer Glen Perkins, and starting pitchers Ervin Santana and Kyle Gibson haven’t helped as the Twins have lost 18 of 26 games to start the season, but Plouffe will be activated from the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday and Santana is eligible to return from the DL as soon as Thursday.
With Plouffe returning, infielder Jorge Polanco is headed back to Triple-A Rochester.
Rotation in flux
Check out the drastic changes the Twins have made with the starting rotation from the start of the season to now. The season began with:
- Ervin Santana
- Phil Hughes
- Kyle Gibson
- Tommy Milone
- Ricky Nolasco
Gibson and Santana then hit the DL and Milone was sent to the bullpen, setting up the current rotation:
- Phil Hughes
- Ricky Nolasco
- Tyler Duffey
- Jose Berrios
- Alex Meyer
Berrios earned his first Major League victory on Monday and Meyer will make his first MLB start on Tuesday. Hughes and Nolasco probably aren’t going anywhere, so when Santana and Gibson return from injury the Twins will have to kick two current starters out of the rotation.
The Twins say there is no target date for Gibson’s return.
Buxton struggling at Triple-A
Byron Buxton has played eight games since being demoted to Triple-A Rochester and he’s gotten off to a slow start. Even with 2 hits on Monday his batting average is only .250, and he’s struck out 11 times in 36 at-bats. He struck out 24 times in 45 at-bats with the Twins.
