Minnesota Twins place RHP Homer Bailey on 10-day Injured List

Minnesota Twins place their second player on the IL as starting pitcher Homer Bailey is placed on 10-day injured list.

The Minnesota Twins will be without one of their starters in their five-man pitching rotation. Right-hand pitcher Homer Bailey has been placed on the 10-day injured list for a right biceps tendinitis injury, the team announced Sunday.

The Twins have called up right-handed pitcher Sean Poppen, 26, as a Bailey’s replacement on the 30-man roster.

This news comes as a blow for the Twins. Bailey was looking solid in both an exhibition against the Chicago Cubs and carried that momentum over to his start against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday. He pitched an efficient game in five innings throwing 46 strikes on 80 pitches. He would go on to lead the Twins to victory allowing only four hits and two runs in a 6-3 Twins win.

Bailey was looking like a reliable starter as the fifth pitcher in their starting rotation. While Bailey was finding his groove early this season, he will have to rediscover his magic once he’s inserted back in the lineup. While he will miss at least two starts, in a 60-game schedule there’s no telling how much early momentum can impact a season.

When Poppen was last seen on the mound for the Twins in 2019, he surrendered seven runs, 10 hits and walked five batters. Poppen had nine strikeouts in 8.1 innings pitched.

Bailey was a free agent acquisition the Twins had signed earlier this offseason. The Twins signed Bailey to a one-year deal to see if he could prove to be a serviceable starting pitcher to help them “win now.” The 34-year-old veteran played 12 seasons for the Cincinnati Reds (2007-2018). In 2019, Baiely signed with the Kansas City Royals before being traded to the Oakland A’s weeks before the trade deadline. In 2019, Bailey posted a 13-9 record in 31 games started with a 4.57 ERA.