FORT MYERS, Fla. — When the Twins reported to camp, it seemed as if two roster spots were up for grabs: one for a bench bat and one in the bullpen. Now, with Opening Day rapidly approaching next Thursday, the Twins have even more decisions to make than when they reported to Fort Myers.

In addition to the last spot in the bullpen, the Twins now have two more openings with both Caleb Thielbar (hamstring strain) and Jhoan Duran (oblique strain) set to begin the season on the injured list.

“We’re going to keep watching this group pitch and I bet some of the decisions may go down to even the last day,” manager Rocco Baldelli said.

The Twins currently have 21 pitchers in left camp, plus Josh Winder, who will begin the season on the 60-day injured list. Four more — relievers Duran, Thielbar and Zack Weiss and starter Anthony DeSclafani — will also start the year on the injured list.

That leaves 17 pitchers for 13 spots, many of which have never been in question. For the remaining three, it seems as if there are four hurlers — all of whom are on the 40-man roster — who have a leg up in the competition. Here’s a look at those four:

Kody Funderburk

If the Twins want to carry two lefties — it seemed as if they were planning on it with Thielbar and Steven Okert — they could included the rookie, Funderburk, on their Opening Day roster. After a strong season spent primarily in Triple-A, the Twins called Funderburk up near the end of last year, getting his feet wet in the majors.

He was impressive during his brief taste of major league action, giving up one run in 12 innings pitched (0.75 ERA). Funderburk posted a 0.917 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) and fanned 19 batters.

Cole Sands

The Twins carried a long reliever in the bullpen for much of last season, and if they wish to have a pitcher occupy this role again, it would appear Sands would be the guy. The Twins have already optioned Brent Headrick to Triple-A and Winder will begin the season on the injured list. The trio often occupied the spot over the course of the year.

Sands, who gave up four runs in two innings against the Washington Nationals on Thursday, broke camp with the Twins last year. He was up and down between the majors and minors but often went several days between appearing in a game because a long reliever wasn’t needed.

Josh Staumont

The veteran reliever was the Twins’ first major league signing of the offseason, and has the most proven major league success of the group. But Staumont is coming off a major procedure — thoracic outlet syndrome surgery — the symptoms of which disrupted both of his last two seasons. Staumont had a combined 6.09 ERA across the last two seasons after being a highly effective reliever in the majors previously.

In 2021, he posted a 2.88 ERA, striking out 72 batters in 65 2/3 innings pitched and collecting five saves. The Twins have seen positive signs from him of late, with his velocity picking throughout the spring.

Jorge Alcala

Alcala was hit on the finger tips with a comebacker on Wednesday, exiting the game early. The report after the game seemed positive, though.

The hard-throwing 28-year-old has missed much of the past couple seasons with injuries, pitching a combined 13 games. But now healthy, he could finally be a contributor once again.

The last time he pitched with any consistency was 2021, during which he flashed his promise, particularly at the end of the year when he finished the season with a 0.96 ERA across the final two months.

Americana trio the Wood Brothers will perform live at the Recreation Outdoor Center in St. Louis Park on July 15.

Tickets are $32, or $75 for VIP, and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Etix.

The concert will introduce “a new era of live, nationally touring acts to the community space,” according to promoters Sue McLean and Associates. The multi-use outdoor recreational facility hosts events year-round, including winter and summer sports, a spring egg hunt, the Minnesota Wild’s free outdoor hockey practices, the annual Juneteenth celebration, art fairs and home and garden shows.

Brothers Chris (upright bass) and Oliver (acoustic and electric guitar) Wood grew up steeped in American roots music, including folk, gospel, blues and jazz.

Oliver Wood went on to land a spot in Tinsley Ellis’s touring band, while his brother co-founded the jazz fusion group Medeski Martin and Wood. After spending 15 years pursuing their own careers, the brothers performed together for the first time in 2001 and realized they should make that pairing permanent. Multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix joined the group prior to the release of their fourth album, 2013’s “The Muse.” The Wood Brothers released their ninth studio album, “Heart is the Hero,” in April 2023.

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A Lakeville dance teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a teen student in 2022.

Timothy Mark Olson Jr., 35, has been charged with felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct for acts that authorities say took place with a teenage girl at his Lakeville home from June 2022 through the end of that year.

Olson was charged by summons this week and had not been booked into the county jail as of Thursday. Olson is scheduled to make a first court appearance on the charge April 23, according to court records, which do not list an attorney for him. He could not be reached for comment Thursday.

According to the criminal complaint filed Wednesday in Dakota County District Court:

Lakeville police on Nov. 25 received a report regarding a sexual relationship between a student and a dance teacher, who was identified as Olson. The victim reported that Olson was her instructor at a dance studio beginning when she was in ninth grade.

The victim’s parents began paying Olson to teach her individual lessons when she was an 11th-grader. Olson started contacting the girl through Instagram messages, which “started out innocuous but progressed to asking Victim to come to his residence in Lakeville,” the complaint says. “(Olson) threatened suicide if Victim did not come over or respond quickly enough.”

Olson also showed up at the girl’s work several times, and texted her that “she was almost eighteen and asked how she would feel if something happened between them,” the complaint says.

The victim told police that Olson sexually assaulted her at his home approximately five to eight times in the summer and fall of 2022, while she was under the age of 18.

Officers spoke to Olson, who acknowledged being her dance teacher. When asked about the nature of their relationship, Olson said “he never forced or raped anyone,” the complaint says.

Olson mumbled during the entire interview and kept covering his face with his hands or shirt. He told police he “wouldn’t be able to tell the truth because he knew he would get in trouble,” the complaint says. When asked if he had sex with the victim, Olson said, “Yeah.”

Court records show Olson has one criminal conviction: gross misdemeanor DWI in November 2022 out of Hennepin County. He was sentenced to two years of probation.

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Minnesota’s unemployment rate remained 2.7% in February and the state saw minimal job growth, 100 jobs added, in the month, the state Department of Employment and Economic Development said Thursday. This compares with a U.S. unemployment rate of 3.9% in February.

But DEED also noted that the private sector shed 1,600 jobs in the month, with the difference made up by government hiring, 1,700 jobs. Minnesota added more than 1,000 people to its labor force, bringing the labor force participation rate  to 67.9%. This measures the percentage of the population that is working or actively seeking work, and is used to measure the state’s benchmark unemployment rate.

“Job growth held steady in February, part of a larger trend after the dramatic gains early in the pandemic recession recovery,” said DEED Deputy Commissioner Kevin McKinnon in a news release. “There are many job openings in the state and we’re focused on connecting people who need work with openings that match their skills. Job growth only happens when there are workers to fill open jobs.”

By sector, Professional & Business Services gained 1,200 jobs and Manufacturing gained 800 jobs; this was offset by losses in Construction, 3,000 jobs, Trade, Transportation & Utilities, 600 jobs and Financial Activities, which lost 500 jobs.

By ethnicity, the state said Black unemployment was 3.2%; Hispanic, 4.4% in February; white Minnesotans, 2.8%, and Asian 1.9% in February.

A broader alternative measure of unemployment, called the U-6, logged in at 5.5%, up from 5.4% in January. This data factor in people who have left the labor force voluntarily and are no longer looking for work, and also people who are minimally or under-employed.

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