Twins outlook when they arrived at Spring Training: Fit as a fiddle.
Twins outlook just as they're about to pack up from Fort Myers and head into MLB's regular season: Hurtin' for certain.
As the Twins continue to stash players on the injured list amid the fast approach of Opening Day, they also appeared to dodge a serious injury with one of the players competing for a roster spot. Who says the Twins have bad luck with injuries?
Before he left JetBlue Park on crutches Sunday afternoon, Mickey Gasper told reporters he received six stitches for lacerations on his left ankle after being spiked by teammate Brandon Winokur when both attempted to field a ground ball in the second inning. Talk about a mood swing. Gasper hit a home run leading off the first inning, seemingly putting the cherry on an amazing camp.
Gasper, a 29-year-old rookie trying to make his first Opening Day roster, initially appeared to roll his ankle coming over from the second base bag and colliding with Winokur, the shortstop. Gasper, a catcher by trade, probably should have let Winokur take the play. Said to be sore, it appears Gasper avoided a serious sprain, but if the Twins planned to add him to the roster by Thursday afternoon, Gasper needing six stitches and walking with crutches four days out could be enough for them to change plans.
Manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters it was one of the nastiest cuts he'd ever seen in baseball but he did not, on the spot, rule out Gasper for Opening Day. It's a bit of good news among some disappointing realities.
When camp started, the Twins expressed a conservative air of optimism and relief because of their overall health. Byron Buxton had an offseason that included no need to rehab anything. Royce Lewis was feeling great. Carlos Correa's feet didn't hurt anymore. Brock Stewart couldn't believe how fresh his arm felt after offseason arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Brooks Lee was many months removed from a sore back, which had bothered him to start the 2024 season while in the minor leagues. Justin Topa was looking forward to his first healthy stretch since 2023. Anyone we're forgetting?
Well, injuries of varying degrees are piling up for the Twins, who earlier announced that Stewart would not be ready for Opening Day because of a mild strain of his left hamstring. They also said Lee would start the season on the injured list because of a strained lower back. There's also Lewis, who won't be active because of a strained hamstring, and right-hander Michael Tonkin won't, either, because of a strained shoulder.
They haven't made a decision on Topa, but he's been working his way back from a sore shoulder sustained the first week of March. He made two appearances in games this past week, plus a side session, but it could be wise to give him more time to ramp up as well. The Twins could look on the waiver wire for temps to fill out the bullpen if the wait for Stewart and Topa won't be long, and if Gasper needs an extra week to get right.
The bad news is, the last 2-3 spots on the Twins' roster Opening Day probably won't be what the team had in mind as recently as a week ago. The good news is, none of the recent injuries are considered all that serious. Everyone just needs to be patient for the best version of the Twins active roster, because we won't see it Thursday.