MINNEAPOLIS -- Two key young Twins are making strong progress from injuries, and could face off against each other soon.
Right-hander Zebby Matthews, recovering from a shoulder strain, will throw another bullpen on Saturday, and his next time pitching could be in a simulated game a few days after that.
Infielder Luke Keaschall, recovering from a right forearm fracture, has begun hitting off of a pitching machine and could take batting practice on the field any day now. The next step after that would be to face live pitching -- perhaps in that same simulated game.
Matthews, one of three Twins starting pitchers currently on the injured list, last pitched in a game on June 4.
“Once we see how he does with the hitters next week, we'll make another announcement after that,” said head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta. “He's doing well.”
Keaschall will likely still progress slowly. He’s already been out for more than two months. Paparesta said that his next step after facing live pitching could be to go to the Twins’ complex in Florida for more at-bats before he advances to an actual Minor League rehabilitation assignment.
“That would be my preference,” Paparesta said, “to make sure that's good to go for the four to five times you do that. You put him in a game and start him on a rehab assignment, and [the risk is that] you have to pull him back because then he's getting soreness. It's just probably the best decision to make sure he's able to go out there regularly to get live at-bats before we put him in regular games.”
Ober relieved
Right-hander Bailey Ober acknowledged a sense of relief Friday, a few days after he was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a left hip impingement. Ober had struggled mightily throughout June, allowing 14 home runs, as he attempted to pitch through the condition. He first started feeling something in his hip early in the year but managed to pitch successfully with it before slumping in June.
“I came up to them over the past road trip and kind of just brought it back up,” he said. “We’ve had meetings throughout the season kind of checking in on me, seeing how I was doing, and I came up to them and said, ‘Hey, I think this is the best thing for the team and for me.’”
Ober explained that he’s actually felt somewhat less discomfort recently, but that might actually explain his struggles. He said it’s possible that he’s altered his delivery in recent starts to “protect” the injury.
Ober has continued throwing on flat ground, and the hope is that that may allow him a relatively quick return. He’s taking anti-inflammatory medication in hopes that the physical issue will be remedied soon. Then it will be a matter of getting his delivery where he wants it to be so that he can resume pitching effectively.
López update
Pablo López is still likely the Twins starter who is farthest away from a return to action, but the club is encouraged by his progress. López is rehabbing from a strained teres major muscle in his right shoulder, and Paparesta said that the inflammation is out of the area and that the muscle strain itself is recovering well.
“It's not all the way healed yet, so we're not ready to start throwing yet,” Paparesta said. “We need to do the best thing we can for him for the long term, and not just worry about the short term, and strengthen him up and make sure his range of motion gets back to where we want it to be. Then look to get him into some throwing activity next week.”
Adams arrives
When Ober was placed on the IL, Kody Funderburk was promoted from Triple-A St. Paul, but Funderburk is a short reliever. What does that mean for Saturday’s game?
Enter Travis Adams, who was in the clubhouse Friday. The club has not officially confirmed anything about Adams’ status other than his presence on the taxi squad, but he will be activated for Saturday’s game and he is expected to pitch. Whether that is as a starter, a bulk reliever behind an opener, or just one piece of a bullpen game remains to be determined. Kody Funderburk will be optioned to St. Paul to make room on the roster for Adams.
“I don’t know exactly who’s starting the game yet,” said manager Rocco Baldelli. “We’re going to get through today’s game, and then we’ll sit down and decide who’s going to start tomorrow.”