Injuries & Moves: Solano, Twins agree to deal (source)

Feb. 21: Twins conform to cope with INF Donovan Solano (supply)
The Twins agreed to phrases with Solano on Tuesday night time, a supply instructed MLB.com. It’s a one-year Major League deal, pending a bodily, in accordance with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. The 35-year-old provides to the Twins’ sturdy infield depth that already contains Kyle Farmer and Nick Gordon, with prospect Edouard Julien additionally thought-about to be almost MLB-ready.

Solano hit .284/.339/.385 in 80 video games final season for the Reds, with the right-handed hitter showing at each infield place however shortstop whereas principally enjoying at first base and designated hitter. He posted a .770 OPS in opposition to left-handed pitching in 2022.

It’s an surprising transfer as a result of Minnesota’s place participant group on the projected 26-man Opening Day roster already seemed to be principally set, barring damage, with Farmer, Gordon, second catcher Ryan Jeffers and backup outfielders Michael A. Taylor and Trevor Larnach seemingly all sure for the roster. One member of that group at the moment stands to be pushed out, probably Larnach contemplating he nonetheless has two Minor League choices.

Jan. 10: RHP A.J. Alexy acquired from the Nationals for Minor League RHP Cristian Jimenez
Alexy, who was claimed off waivers by the Nationals in December, pitched in 4 video games for the Rangers in 2022, going 1-1 with a 11.57 ERA. He spent most of final season with Triple-A Round Rock and recorded 103 strikeouts in 96 innings. The 6-foot-4 right-hander has gone 4-2 with a 6.30 ERA in 9 profession video games, together with 4 begins.

To make room on the roster for Alexy, the Twins designated Oliver Ortega, whom they’d claimed off waivers from the Angels on Jan. 6.

Jan. 6: RHP Blayne Enlow designated for task
Minnesota designated Enlow, 23, a third-round Draft choose in 2017 who emerged as one of many membership’s high prospects earlier than present process Tommy John surgical procedure in 2021. Enlow returned from the damage final 12 months and recorded a 4.73 ERA throughout two ranges, together with a 4.40 ERA in 57 1/3 innings at Double-A Wichita.

RHP Tyler Mahle (proper shoulder irritation)
Expected return: Spring Training 2023
Things did not go as Mahle and the Twins had hoped for following the midseason commerce that introduced the right-hander from Cincinnati to Minnesota. The 27-year-old was shut down twice on account of proper shoulder irritation that Mahle mentioned is because of fatigue, and that he believes will go away with an prolonged time frame away from the sector.

“I think the shortened Spring Training, and then a lot of my bulk was in the beginning of the year, throwing a lot of pitches,” Mahle mentioned. “For a few starts there, I was skipping — I was just on a normal five days. We’d have an off-day, and I would just throw on a normal day. So I think the short offseason, just going right into it, may have affected it a little bit. I wasn’t necessarily thinking about the future. I was thinking about then and winning then.”

Mahle mentioned that his medical examinations — together with MRI exams and power exams — revealed no structural injury, giving him encouragement that he may go away this challenge behind in 2022. He has continued to play catch whereas on the IL, and expects to have a standard offseason buildup at house in California. (Last up to date: Oct. 4)

RHP Chris Paddack (Tommy John surgical procedure)
Expected return: Possibly August 2023
Paddack made 5 begins for the Twins after his arrival in an Opening Day commerce with the Padres earlier than he underwent a second Tommy John surgical procedure in May. The right-hander mentioned the restoration from this process would take him a number of months longer than the one following his first surgical procedure.

Paddack hopes to be again within the beginning rotation subsequent August and make 5 – 6 begins in the course of the common season, he mentioned — and he’s not daunted by the comparatively sparse historical past of gamers making high-quality returns from a second Tommy John surgical procedure.

“I never have had doubt in myself,” Paddack mentioned. “I don’t have a B plan. That’s just how my mind works. I go chase something, and I won’t stop until I go get it. But yes, realistically, it’s real life. This is my second one. But the surgeons, they’re so good now. And if I do everything that I can control, that’s all I can ask for from myself. I’m going to do everything I can to come back and help this team win.” (Last up to date: Oct. 3)

RHP Trevor Megill (left indirect pressure)
Expected return: 2023
Megill’s season ended after he sustained a left indirect pressure throughout his warmup pitches after he entered the Twins’ Oct. 2 sport in opposition to the Tigers at Comerica Park, leading to his placement on the 15-day IL. His preliminary warmup providing spiked within the filth and ricocheted as much as hit catcher Ryan Jeffers within the neck, and whereas an athletic coach attended to Jeffers, it additionally grew to become clear that Megill required consideration. He left the sport with out throwing a pitch.

“I think he showed himself to be a good Major League pitcher and a guy you can bring in in different spots,” Twins supervisor Rocco Baldelli mentioned. “I liked what I saw from him, and he has the stuff to continue to get better. I don’t think we’ve seen the absolute best that he has to offer, but I think he showed that he can compete well at this level.” (Last up to date: Oct. 3)

CF Byron Buxton (proper hip pressure)
Expected return: Spring Training 2023
Buxton, who was positioned on the 10-day IL with a proper hip pressure Aug. 23, underwent a profitable arthroscopic cleanup surgical procedure on his proper knee on Sept. 27, the Twins introduced. Buxton has been coping with ache and patellar tendinitis within the knee all year long, and with the Twins out of great competition, they felt it was finest to provide Buxton the process earlier than the top of the 12 months and never push his return to the sector.

“The more we talked about it with him trying to push through it, with having dealt with the knee and the hip a little bit that he’s had as well, we felt like the best course here was not to try and rush him back,” president of baseball operations Derek Falvey mentioned. “We’re running out of calendar here.” (Last up to date: Sept. 27)

RHP Jorge Alcala (proper elbow irritation)
Expected return: Spring Training 2023
Alcala underwent season-ending arthroscopic debridement surgical procedure on his proper elbow on Aug. 3, the Twins introduced. He mentioned on Sept. 27 that he had began to throw from 90 ft, and he’s anticipated to be able to pitch by Spring Training.

Alcala, who has been out since April 12, started an preliminary rehab task with Single-A Fort Myers in a one-inning look on June 1, however his throwing development was briefly halted on account of stiffness in his proper elbow. He tried to construct up once more in late July, however was once more unsuccessful.

“It’s been a difficult road, especially because I wasn’t able to be with my team this year,” Alcala mentioned. “Just watching from home has been hard. The rehab process was tough on me as well because I’ve never been hurt this long and going through a process like this. But thank God here we are and I’m healthy.” (Last up to date: Oct. 4)

RHP Kenta Maeda (Tommy John surgical procedure)
Expected return: Spring Training 2023
Maeda underwent Tommy John surgical procedure final September with the hope that he may probably return as a bullpen possibility late this 12 months. But late within the season, Maeda and the Twins decided that they didn’t wish to rush his return for a couple of video games’ price of contributions. Instead, their full focus will go towards guaranteeing a standard and wholesome Spring Training and 2023 season.

Indeed, Maeda mentioned that he has been instructed to organize himself for a standard offseason schedule, particularly now that he has accomplished his bullpen progressions and has progressed to throwing dwell classes to hitters on the Twins’ Minor League complicated in Fort Myers, Fla.

“For some other given offseason, I prefer to take a while off from throwing,” Maeda mentioned by way of interpreter Dai Sekizaki. “But going into this offseason, I’d like to pick up the ball a little earlier than usual and get my arm ready for next spring.” (Last up to date: Oct. 4)

SS Royce Lewis (partially torn ACL in proper knee)
Expected return: 2023
Lewis was cleared to stroll for the primary time on July 12, three weeks after his June 21 process to restore the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee with Dr. Steven Singleton within the Dallas space. Though he and the Twins initially estimated a 12-month timeline for a return to play, Lewis mentioned on July 12 that his medical group was being “aggressive” along with his restoration, although he later acknowledged a 9-15 month timeline for his restoration.

Lewis partially tore the ACL once more on May 29, whereas operating into the center-field wall at Target Field making a spectacular catch. Lewis might be rehabbing the identical knee on which he underwent surgical procedure to restore a torn ACL in February 2021. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 11.

“It’s really early unfortunately,” Lewis mentioned in late September. “You can’t rush ligament tears. You’ve got to just be patient, so either way, whatever I do, it’s 9-15 months, right? So I think right now, I’m in a stage where I’m starting to transition to do more, which is cool, but it’s just happening so slow. Just take it day by day week by week.” (Last up to date: Oct. 4)

OF/1B Alex Kirilloff (proper wrist irritation)
Expected return: Spring Training 2023
Kirilloff was transferred to the 60-day IL on Aug. 23. He underwent season-ending ulnar shortening surgical procedure on Aug. 9 in Los Angeles after experiencing continued flare-ups of ache in his proper wrist regardless of continued programs of cortisone injections. Though there weren’t any severe structural points revealed by MRI scans taken of the world, Kirilloff could not swing a bat, and the Twins had no selection however to place him on the IL and assess additional programs of motion. (Last up to date: Aug. 23)

RHP Cody Stashak (torn labrum in proper shoulder)
Expected return: 2023
A second opinion with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles revealed a torn labrum in Stashak’s proper shoulder, so the 28-year-old underwent season-ending bicep tenodesis surgical procedure to restore the bicep and labrum on June 16. He mentioned the usual restoration timeline for the process is 9-12 months, and although he will not make certain of his prognosis till the surgical procedure happens, he mentioned he does not count on to be able to pitch till May 2023.

Stashak was moved to the 60-day IL on June 13.

“They’ve got to cut the part off the bicep that split and reattach that and clean up the labrum,” Stashak mentioned. “The labrum is not fully torn, it’s more the bicep.”

Stashak was initially positioned on the 15-day IL with a proper shoulder impingement on May 22 and can end his ’22 marketing campaign with a 3.86 ERA, 15 strikeouts and no walks in 16 1/3 innings.

“It’s kind of been going on since Spring Training,” Stashak mentioned. “We called it biceps tendinitis. It just led to throwing through it and trying to throw through it on pain meds. It just gave out.” (Last up to date: June 16)