Every season, injuries often get in the way of the Minnesota Twins and other baseball team’s success. One baserunning mishap or plunked batter can result in a player missing time. For the Twins, the injury bug comes early this year:
Alex Kirilloff is going to the 10-day IL with a recurrence of the right wrist issues that sidelined him for much of last season, Rocco says. He underwent season-ending surgery on the wrist last summer.
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) April 13, 2022
He’ll get it further evaluated with the same doctor he worked with last year.
Losing Alex Kirilloff to injury is very bad in a couple of ways. He might not have started off the season hot at the plate (likely due to the lingering effects of the injury), but he was a valuable skill set as a first baseman and corner outfielder.
With him out, the Twins have called up former top prospect Trevor Larnach. As much as I like Larnach’s potential as a player, he’s struggled mightily since the beginning of the 2021 season at both Triple-AAA and the big leagues. Larnach needs to have success in the majors this time to help regain his prospect luster.
What’s even more concerning is what this injury means for him individually. In the minors, Kirilloff really didn’t miss too much time outside of a lost 2017 season. His injury last year was a big one, and it appears it hasn’t gotten any better:
Alex Kirilloff says the wrist pain feels "definitely similar" to what he felt last year and he never reached a point where he was swinging totally pain-free after surgery.
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) April 13, 2022
"This is just one long, continuous puzzle to try to figure out, so just try to put the pieces together."
Kirilloff is a big part of the team’s long-term plans, and to have him joining Jorge Alcala on the injured list isn’t a good sign. With the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals (who the Twins struggled against last year) on deck, the team needs production.
Larnach is going to have to come in and help boost one of the hardest-struggling lineups in the American League or the Minnesota Twins will soon sink further below their 2-4 record as the season marches on.