The Twins have announced to reporters, including Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, that first baseman/outfielder Alex Kirilloff will undergo season-ending wrist surgery on Tuesday.
Kirilloff, 24, was a highly-touted prospect, getting selected by the Twins 15th overall in 2016. As he worked his way toward the big leagues, he was considered to be among the top 35 prospects in baseball for three straight years from 2019 to 2021.
However, he’s been repeatedly dogged by issues in his wrist, even going back to his time in the minors. After making his MLB debut in early 2021, he landed on the IL in May of that year with a wrist sprain. He returned a few weeks later but went to the IL again in July with wrist ligament year, which ended up finishing his season. Here in 2022, he landed on the shelf in April due to wrist inflammation and returned in May, though a wrist contusion sent him to the IL yet again in August.
Through 104 games at this point in his career, Kirilloff hasn’t impressed much, putting up a line of .251/.295/.398. That amounts to a wRC+ of just 90, 10% below league average, though it’s fair to wonder how much these persistent wrist issues are preventing him from reaching his full potential.
Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com relays some more details from Kirilloff about the surgery, which he first discussed as a possibility back in May. It will apparently involve manually breaking his ulna, shortening it to create more space, and then inserting a plate and screws.
Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic relays word from manager Rocco Baldelli about the situation. “Anytime you’re talking about shaving a bone down or shortening a bone, that’s a substantial procedure,” Baldelli said. “But we’re hopeful that by getting it down now it gives us a chance to use the offseason to get right, to start swinging the bat again, to feel good, and to start getting ready for next year.”
Kirilloff and the Twins will be hoping that the surgery pays dividends in the long run. In the short term, the club will likely be using Luis Arraez and Jose Miranda to cover first base, with Miguel Sano having been recently placed on the 60-day IL. As for the outfield picture, Byron Buxton is dealing with a sore knee and has been DHing, last taking the field about a week ago. Max Kepler just returned from the IL and can have one slot, with Nick Gordon likely taking another on most days, with Jake Cave and Gilberto Celestino also in the mix.
Tough break for him and the Twinkies, this kid always gets hurt. You guys want Aaron Hicks back? Lol.
Next announcement is Larnach coming off the IL
What a surprise
This is a shining example of why you shouldn’t mark guys as “untouchable”
Sure, he could absolutely still turn it around and have a great career. But in the meantime you could have cashed him in for pitching help
yes…could be the A’s problem now if they pulled the trigger in march
I doubt the A’s would’ve accepted a guy coming off wrist surgery as the centerpiece for Montas. AK had to show he was healthy. Which he did not.
They should probably trade all their best prospects because they might get hurt.
Medical Staff Screw Up
So his abnormally long bone in his arm is just now becoming an issue? He performs well all through the minor leagues.. top prospect.. then during a transition to the Show all of a sudden he needs to break and grind down his arm bone and put it back together. Basically same situation with Sano. Mauer had “bilateral leg weakness”, Morneau had a freak concussion, Koskie freak concussion, Buxton barely even made it as a major leaguer until he was mid-late 20s as a 1-1. We never spent money on a single top pitcher. Its pretty obvious MN is using the IL for roster manipulation. Pretty sure this org is just a feeder team for others. Considering every division except ours doesn’t even have a battle for the division title – with most being 12 games clear of 2nd.. more teams trying to lose than win.. and the same teams being handed post season spots year after year uncontested.. rampant cheating.. what a poor business model the MLB has become.. and MN isn’t a large enough market for the MLB to care about so we are bottom feeders. Pro sports have gotten too corrupt and corporate controlled.
And they think their problem is pitch clock..
Attribute this to organizational & managerial misuse.
Played SS Lewis out of position in CF = Season ending surgery, second surgery in as many years ON THE SAME KNEE with short term retarded development and long term positional performance ramifications.
Played 1B Kirilloff out of position in LF (if you closely watched him play in the OF, it’s pretty clear that his ideal position isn’t OF. Medical staff screwed around with the diagnosis and remedy for his bad wrist for a year and a half and the brain wizards FINALLY THINK they have it diagnosed – but it’s gonna require bone shaving surgery.
Don’t be at all surprised if due to the organization’ bungling if either on of these two will ever approach the team’s lofty expectations.
You said, “Abnormally long bone..”. Huh huh