The Twins announced that they’ve placed left fielder Eddie Rosario on the injured list prior to tonight’s series opener against the White Sox in Chicago. Utility infielder Ehire Adrianza has been activated from the IL in a corresponding move. Minnesota also optioned righty Zack Littell to Triple-A and promoted lefty Lewis Thorpe for his MLB debut.
Rosario exited Wednesday’s game after spraining his ankle while rounding first base. After the game, manager Rocco Baldelli indicated that the injury wasn’t believed to be severe. That may very well still be the case, but the issue is apparently enough to push Rosario, an All-Star hopeful, to the sideline for at least the next nine days.
Rosario, 27, has already belted 20 homers on the season while frequently serving as the Twins’ cleanup hitter. He’s batting .282/.312/.529 through 324 plate appearances and has added 14 doubles and a triple to go along with those 20 long balls. He’s also played above-average defense in left field according to both Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating.
The Twins have had a series of injuries in the outfield recently, as Byron Buxton and utilitymen Marwin Gonzalez and Willians Astudillo (both capable of playing in the outfield) have all landed on the IL. Buxton is reportedly close to returning from the IL, but the Twins are presently relying on Max Kepler, Jake Cave and infielder Luis Arraez in the outfield. Minnesota called up outfield prospect Lamonte Wade Jr. yesterday to help out in the short term, and designated hitter Nelson Cruz is of course no stranger to the outfield corners (although the Twins have yet to play him in the field). A healthy Minnesota outfield is among the best defensive units in the game, but it’ll apparently be a bit before Twins fans see Rosario, Buxton and Kepler roving the outfield.
As for Thorpe, the 23-year-old Aussie will add some length to a pitching staff that was depleted in yesterday’s 18-inning marathon. Thorpe, signed as an international free agent back in 2013, has long been considered one of the Twins’ most promising young arms. He cracked Baseball Prospectus’ Top 101 prospects in 2014 (No. 101) and in 2015 (No. 91). He entered the year ranked ninth among Twins prospects at MLB.co and 15th at Fangraphs.
Thorpe’s development was slowed when he missed all of the 2015-16 seasons due to elbow troubles that culminated in Tommy John surgery. He enjoyed a strong season between Double-A and Triple-A in 2018, pitching to a combined 3.54 ERA with 10.9 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9 in 129 2/3 innings of work. He’s been knocked around for a 5.71 ERA through 69 1/3 innings thus far in 2019 thanks to a bloated home-run rate (1.48 HR/9) and some poor fortune on balls in play (.348). Thorpe’s K/BB numbers remain excellent, as he’s averaged 11.4 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9. He’s also pitched considerably better since an awful start to the year. After surrendering 15 runs in his first two outings, he’s notched a 4.30 ERA with A 79-to-14 K/BB ratio in 60 2/3 innings.
Lots of Twins fans have been hoping Thorpe could make it to the big show and deliver. There are mixed grades on his raw “stuff” though. A few scouts have talked about how his results are ahead of his offerings, but the same things were said about Berrios.
Hopefully, Thorpe pitches well and gets an opportunity to stick rather than the revolving AAA door the Twins have been using.
So when he gets credit for his 3rd victory, that makes him Lewis WinThorpe III.
I wonder if the Twins picked up his contract for $1
Then they can trade for Jalen Beeks…….but that would be trading places…..
Thorpedo; locked and loaded.
Hopefully, he’ll give the White Sox a severe case of the Thorpedus.
Twins miss the playoffs this year. Whatsayyou?
They win 93 games if they play 500 ball the rest of the season. I say you high.
In a perfect world, yes but we live in a multiverse which contains an infinite number of universes. With an infinite number of universes there are an infinite number of possibilities. By the default caused by the “number” infinity, every single possibility must come true in separate universes. How do you know that we don’t live in the universe in which the Twins win exactly zero games the rest of the season? Better yet, how do you know that we don’t live in a universe that the Twins play .000 ball the rest of the season while MLB discovers that the team as a whole cheated during each of their previous wins thus resulting in MLB vacating all of the Twins wins this season resulting in an 0-162 season? This isn’t just a matter of baseball. This is a matter of physics. You are in way over your head, wjf010. You should quit while you’re ahead.
I was just about to say the same thing.
I swear to God… It’s just like some people refuse to live in reality.
In this multiverse, there are also trolls.
There is only one multiverse. In over 99.99% of existing universes there are trolls. In some universes there are only trolls. There are even universes that have anti-matter trolls. Just be glad you haven’t met one of those. They are a doozy. When they come into contact with regular matter trolls they directly convert into pure troll energy. I am told that is the most powerful form of energy in the universe. Even more powerful than Gamma Ray’s.
It’s nice to have depth.
Rosario got stubbed for the all star game start. If you looked at all the al comparison stats Rosario is top three if not number one outfielder in the AL .
Michael Brantley?!? The stros or any other front office would rather have Eddie in their outfield over Michael Brantley. Astros fan base needs to step back. When are baseball writers going to start being in the mix?
No team in baseball lost more games from 2011-2018 than the Twins. While fan interest is returning, Minnesota is also considered a fly over state for most of the U.S. Out of sight, out of mind unless the team actually does something to get noticed… other than sucking.
This is true