Correa delivers clutch homer in 1st AB back from IL: 'Happy to have him back'

MINNEAPOLIS -- Carlos Correa reminded the Twins of what they’ve been missing. In his first game back from the 7-day concussion injured list, Correa showed all of the ways he can impact a game in a 3-1 win against the division rival Royals at Target Field on Friday night.

In his first at-bat, Correa hit a majestic solo home run to left-center field. Two innings later, he just barely missed a homer. He played his customary exceptional defense all night, and in the ninth, he beat out a one-out infield hit that set up Ty France for a walk-off, two-run homer.

It was an all-around performance of the sort that Twins fans got used to in recent years. It was also a tantalizing look at what Minnesota might have soon as its two other injured stars, Byron Buxton and Matt Wallner, inch closer to being activated as well.

“I think it was a perfect way to get back,” Correa said. “Do a little bit of everything, get my feet wet once again and go from there.”

Correa’s activation, on the first day he was eligible to be reinstated, was another step toward the Twins being whole for the first time all year. He collided with Byron Buxton as both players were chasing a fly ball in Baltimore on May 15. Both entered concussion protocol and were placed on the injured list in the following days. Buxton remains on the IL, but a club official indicated Friday that he is progressing well.

Correa was immediately inserted in the starting lineup at shortstop and in the cleanup spot, a day after infielder Ryan Fitzgerald was optioned. His presence was felt immediately.

“It’s always nice having your leader back,” said France, who hit his first career walk-off homer. “Just the presence he has on the field and clubhouse is one thing, but to come out here -- first game back and homer -- set the tone early, we’re happy to have him back.”

Correa said that he has been symptom free for a few days after feeling symptoms for 2-3 days after the injury. It was his first concussion.

He certainly looked entirely like himself on Friday.

“He made an impact real quick with that homer off a lefty [Noah Cameron] that threw the ball really well,” said Twins starter Pablo López. “He seemed to have really good command and control of his pitches in and out of the zone, but Carlos is that kind of player. An impact player in every single aspect of the game. Just his presence, it’s known, it’s felt, it’s encouraging and it’s motivating. It makes the team better.”

The Twins will watch how Correa reacts to game action at first, but if all goes well this weekend, he should be a full go after that. It would not be shocking to see Correa held out of the starting lineup as a precaution either Saturday or Sunday.

That will be easier to do as the club inches closer to full health. With Willi Castro, Brooks Lee and Royce Lewis all healthy and available, it becomes easier to give Correa the occasional day off without compromising the lineup somewhere else.

The next players set to return are Wallner, who is recovering from a left hamstring strain, and Buxton. Wallner hit two home runs in the first game of a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Thursday night and added three more hits on Friday. If he continues to progress well, Wallner should be back in a matter of days.

Buxton’s return is fuzzier, given the uncertain nature of head injuries, but he is also progressing well. A club official said Friday that Buxton is “ramping up his baseball activities” and that he completed “ground-based running”-- as opposed to in a pool or on a treadmill -- earlier in the day.

“Those players pull everything together,” said manager Rocco Baldelli, “because when you strengthen yourself on both sides of the ball, when you become very reliable in terms of the plays that they make in the field, the reliability of what they are as defensive players, they make everybody else better. They push other people to different spots in the field. It just strengthens the team in big ways on both sides.”