Twins place slugger Miguel Sano on 10-day IL with hamstring strain
Miguel Sano #22 of the Minnesota Twins bats against the Oakland Athletics in the second inning during game one of a double header at RingCentral Coliseum on April 20, 2021 in Oakland, California. ((Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Twins open a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday night at Target Field, and they won’t have slugger Miguel Sano in the lineup.
Sano, who has had a slow start to the season, was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. The move is retroactive to April 21. Sano played in the first game of a doubleheader on Tuesday, a 7-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics, and did not play in Game 2, a 1-0 loss.
The Twins are off to a slow start at 6-11, and Sano is hitting just .111 in 15 games with two home runs, four RBI, 13 walks and 20 strikeouts. He has five hits in 45 at-bats.
The Twins are also without Max Kepler, Andrelton Simmons, Caleb Thielbar, JT Riddle and Kyle Garlick, who are all on the team's COVID-19 IL.
The Twins have also optioned infielder Travis Blankenhorn to the team’s alternate training site at CHS Field, and returned catcher Tomas Telis to the alternate training site. To fill the three open spots on the 26-man roster, the Twins have recalled infielder Nick Gordon and outfielder Alex Kirilloff.
Kirilloff was arguably the surprise move of Spring Training, not only not making the Opening Day roster, but also not being selected to the team’s Taxi Squad. Gordon was 2-for-10 and scored one run in 11 Spring Training games with the Twins, and will be making his Major League debut.
The Twins have lost four straight, are 1-9 in their last 10 games and are in last place in the American League Central Division at 6-11.