Carlos Correa says a new treatment for his plantar fasciitis has him feeling “great,” and Byron Buxton was back in the outfield doing defensive drills for the first time since he left a rehab game because of hip soreness last Wednesday.
And while neither all-star player was ready to crack the lineup against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, the Twins made a move to expedite their potential return by bringing four Class A pitchers up to Minneapolis to give the veterans the chance to face live pitching.
It’s a telling move by a team that entered Monday’s game having lost 10 of 14 games. They were outscored 66-22 in those 10 losses and fell five games behind first-place Cleveland in the American League Central Division with 19 regular-season games remaining.
“We would only be bringing these guys (up) if we thought it was needed, and it’s the right time and our hitters are prepared for it,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “They’re going to be here this week; we’ll see them out there early several days.”
Left-hander Cleiber Maldonado and righty Jack Noble will join the team from Fort Myers, and right-hander Spencer Bengard and lefty Jordan Carr will be up from high-A Cedar Rapids. Both teams ended their seasons over the weekend.
Correa hasn’t played since before the all-star break because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Buxton hasn’t played a major league game since Aug. 12 because of a right hip strain. Both players worked out before Monday’s game.
Baldelli wouldn’t say whether the live pitching might help any of the team’s injured players — outfielders Max Kepler (knee) and Manny Margot (groin) also are on the injured list — avoid a rehab assignment, but Buxton indicated that would suit him fine.
Buxton played games at Class AAA St. Paul on Sept. 2 and Sept. 4, but Correa hasn’t played in a game since July 12 at San Francisco.
“Obviously, I want to be playing,” Buxton said. “It’s just one of those things where I literally take it day to day — don’t get my hopes up too high, don’t get them too low. I just literally take it day to day, and I have my days where you feel it, and it’s one of those where, do you push it or not push it, you know? And where we are is one of those where I don’t want to hurt us by coming back and having to do something different, you know what I mean?
“I just want to come back and be my normal self and just have (Baldelli) be comfortable putting me back in the lineup every day.”
The Twins had hoped to rest Correa and Buxton long enough that they returned fully healthy, but time is running out in the regular season, and the Twins’ hold on the third and final AL wild card playoff spot was down to 3½ games Monday morning.
“We’re at that point in the season where you’re not going to be at 100 percent. Probably won’t be 90 percent,” Buxton said. “But you get to a point where you can fight through it and get through it. You want to get out there and play.”
Correa said he visited a Los Angeles doctor who suggested a new treatment for his foot. It’s painful, he said, but it seems to be working. The shortstop has sprinted three of the past four days while wearing cleats, a big hurdle for him in his rehabilitation.
He said he would share details of the treatment when he returns to the field.
“No needles, just treatment in the training room,” he said. “It’s painful because it’s right in that area, but it’s working. Went to see a doctor in L.A. and (they) recommended it, and it’s been working wonders. I’m very happy right now. Hopefully it keeps trending that way.”
Correa returned from plantar fasciitis in his left foot late last season without a rehab assignment and played well in the postseason. He hasn’t made a minor league appearance since 2019 when he was with Houston.
He said he has a date on his calendar for a return but added, “I’ve still got to confirm with the team.”
“I was waiting to get to this point, so I could push the envelope,” he said. “This percentage right now, I could play like this, as to where, before, I couldn’t even walk without pain. But today’s a good day. We’ve come to the right time, I feel like.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I’m very encouraged about the way I’ve been feeling the last few days.”
Briefly
After Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Kansas City, solidifying a three-game sweep by the Royals, Baldelli gave his team the what-for in a postgame meeting. “I expected it. Because that just didn’t feel right, that whole series,” outfielder Trevor Larnach said. “That last game, for whatever reason, felt like deflating a balloon. So, I respect him for doing that. We needed it.” … Veteran right-hander Pablo Lopez was the Twins’ nominee for MLB’s annual Roberto Clemente Award, which goes to the player “who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.”
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