Twins starter Sonny Gray left yesterday’s start with right hamstring tightness and will be placed on the IL, per Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Cody Stashak, who began the season on the IL with right biceps tendinitis, will swap places with Gray and join the active roster.
Gray threw 31 pitches yesterday before the hamstring issue ended his start prematurely. In the immediate aftermath of the game, he was considered to be day-to-day and perhaps not in need of a trip to the IL. Now it seems the team has decided to play it cautious and give him a chance to recuperate. As stated by Miller, the club anticipates he will only miss one start. Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com relays that the Twins will condense their six-man rotation down to five in Gray’s absence, with Dylan Bundy, Chris Archer, Chris Paddack, Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober as the remaining members. Josh Winder pitched well in long relief after Gray’s departure yesterday (2 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings) but will stay in a long relief role.
Stashak had a nice showing over 2019 and 2020, throwing 40 MLB innings with a 3.15 ERA, 26.1% strikeout rate and excellent 2.5% walk rate. In 2021, he threw 15 2/3 innings with a 6.89 ERA, with his strikeout rate jumping up to 34.7% but his walk rate hitting 13.3%. He was placed on the 60-day IL in June with a left back disk injury and didn’t pitch again. The 27-year-old will now look to get back on track after a lengthy absence.
Congrats MLBTRUMORS! You actually have a recent photo for a player that has changed teams! Outstanding!
This seems like a nitpick
*PLYMOUTH PARAKEETS
Twins’ radio commentator mentioned last season that the Twins had too many hammy injuries. Added that in the NBA you rarely hear of hamstring pulls. Why? Because the run backwards as much as they do forward. Twins trainers may want to take notice. Need to exercise quads and hamstring muscles equally.
I wonder who will replace Thielbar when he’s DFA’d?
Twins pitching= garbage in/garbage out