Slugger Miguel Sano has taken a positive step toward returning to the field for the Twins.
Sano was able to take 60 swings at Target Field on Wednesday; it was the first time in more than a week that he was able to swing a bat, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.
Minnesota’s recent success has come despite Sano being out since mid-August, when he was place on the 10-day disabled list.
What happened to him?
Sano suffered a stress reaction after a fouling a pitch off his left shin on Aug. 18 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
What’s he doing for rehab?
The power hitting third baseman has been away from the team, doing most of his rehab work at Target Field.
President of Baseball Operations, Derek Falvey told Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press that Sano visited a specialist in New York last week and had a follow up appointment with a doctor in Charlotte.
Both medical professionals concluded that Sano has not suffered a setback. However, his timetable to return is still up in the air.
Will he come back?
On Sept. 21, manager Paul Molitor said they haven’t talked about a “shutdown date,” they just hope he can continue to progress by doing his rehab.
The next Kirk Gibson?
Falvey joked with reporters that Sano could be used in a Kirk Gibson-like moment.
If you’re not familiar with Kirk Gibson, – that’s your own fault – he delivered probably the biggest pinch-hit home run in World Series history.
If Sano is able to return during the regular season or playoffs, it would likely be as a designated hitter or as a pinch hitter off the bench.
