When Mickey Gasper pinch hit for Willi Castro in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s game against the New York Mets, it raised all kinds of questions.
Among them, why was manager Rocco Baldelli pinch-hitting the rookie, a switch hitter, for Castro, an all-star last year, also a switch hitter? And how would they manage defensively with Castro out of the game?
One answer quickly became apparent in the top of the ninth when shortstop Carlos Correa emerged from the dugout and trotted out to his usual position. It was a promising sign after Correa had left Tuesday’s game early with left wrist soreness after tweaking it during the game.
Correa, who said his wrist was feeling better, was available to play defense, though they didn’t necessarily want him to hit had the game been extended.
“We were going back and forth on what I was going to do if the at-bat came up,” Correa said. “I’m glad it never got there.”
But while the Twins got some positive news on their shortstop, the rest of the injury news wasn’t quite as good. Castro was removed with what Baldelli described as “mild right oblique tightness.” Taking him out of the game, Baldelli said, was precautionary.
The Twins have an off day on Thursday before beginning a three-game series in Atlanta, which will be an important day for a suddenly banged-up roster.
“We’re going to take the day, see how he’s doing (Thursday) before we make any sort of assessments,” Baldelli said of Castro. “I’m not sitting here really nervous right now.”
Castro said he felt a little pinch during an at-bat, and while he thought he could play through it, he didn’t want it to get any worse. As for avoiding the injured list, he’s hopeful, but not sure yet.
Losing Castro would be a blow for the Twins, who now know they will be without their right fielder, Matt Wallner, for the time being. Wallner will be placed on the 10-day injured list after straining his left hamstring running to first base in Tuesday’s game.
“I had a pretty good idea when I woke up that it wasn’t going to heal any time soon,” Wallner said.
Scary moment for Wendelstedt
Wednesday’s game had a short pause after first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt was hit in the head by a hard-line drive in the seventh inning off the bat of Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor and dropped to the ground immediately.
He was examined by two Twins trainers and a team doctor before getting up and walking off the field under his own power, holding a towel to his head. He was then taken to a local hospital for further care.
“Hopefully it’s just some stitches is what I’m thinking,” crew chief Todd Tichenor told a pool reporter. “He was coherent, speaking. He had everything, concussion protocol. It was great to hear him speaking. That’s really all I’ve got right now.”
López throws ‘pen
Pablo López had a suitcase packed sitting in his locker area on Wednesday morning. He was awaiting word from the team training staff on whether or not he would be traveling to Atlanta with them.
López, on the injured list with a hamstring strain, threw a bullpen on Wednesday. He estimated he threw around 33 pitches.
“I threw 19, then took a little breather, just simulating sitting down and picking back up to see how the hamstring reacted,” he said. “It was good.”
The next step, he said, would likely be getting in a rehab game, although it’s possible he travels with the team to Atlanta and throws another bullpen before that.
López, who was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to April 9, would be eligible to return next week.
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