It goes without saying, but the last thing the Minnesota Twins need is an injury to interfere with the big plans everyone has for the team this year.
Minnesota had it's first scare of the season on Friday.
Last year the Twins were carried to their first postseason series victory since the first George W. Bush term thanks in large part to the play of rookie Edouard Julien. He finished the season slashing .263/.381/.459 while mashing 16 home runs and giving the team serious life at the plate when it was otherwise struggling.
Julien's bat was already on the rise through the Twins' farm system and it didn't disapoint when he got called up back in April. After reaching the majors, Julien locked himself in as a key piece of the everyday lineup, which is why watching him leave Friday's game against the Pirates was the exact opposite of what fans wanted to see.
He took a pitch sqaure on his hand in the first inning, and exited the game after trainers took a look at it. That triggered some anxiety among fans, but it seems a worst case scenario has been avoided.
Rocco Baldelli gives encouraging Edouard Julien injury update
After the game manager Rocco Baldelli admitted that it wasn't great on the outset but Julien's hand shouldn't keep him out of the picture for too long.
"It did turn black and blue immediately," Baldelli said, via the Star-Tribune., "but he was doing OK and has good strength."
Julien wasn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against hte New York Yankees, instead being replaced by Austin Martin. That could be a glimpse into the future as far as what might happen if an injury does occur to a key player, which at the very least should provide some relief when thinking about the team's depth.
It does sound like the injury was nothing more than a scare. Do-Hyoung Park passed along word that the plan is for Julien to return to the lineup on Monday afternoon.
The current plan is for Eddy Julien to be back in the #MNTwins lineup for Monday's game at the Braves.
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) March 9, 2024
The bar for Minnesota is no longer simply winning a game in the postseason. Reaching the ALCS felt within reach last season and a World Series trip is the goal. Julien being healthy will be a huge part of that, and attention now turns to getting him healthy for Opening Day.