WEST SACRAMENTO -- Twins shortstop Carlos Correa is expected to miss one more game due to back tightness that caused him to be a late scratch from Wednesday’s 6-1 win against the Athletics.
Neither Correa nor manager Rocco Baldelli expressed significant concern regarding Correa’s status, which Correa suggested may have resulted from the hard dirt around home plate at Sutter Health Park. He wears special spikes to protect him against a recurrence of plantar fasciitis, preventing him from using a different kind of footwear to adjust for the challenging footing.
“Every swing that I slip at the plate I feel my back compensating to stabilize me throughout the motion,” Correa said. “It's just discomfort in my middle back and I don't want to make it worse, where I miss months of the season [just to play] two games. We're taking the smart option of taking these two days [off] so I can go back home and play at home. I'm not going to be slipping at the plate.”
Brooks Lee got the start at short in Correa’s place for Wednesday night’s game.
“He’s got a little bit of tightness, but I think he’s going to be fine for the return home would be my guess,” said Baldelli. “I don’t want to speculate too much. Not likely he’s going to be in the lineup [Thursday] but, again, I’m not concerned right now with anything long-term at all.”