But they did it without third baseman Josh Donaldson, who has missed most of the trip as he deals with a nagging hamstring issue. It has continued for 10 days — the minimum stint on the injured list — but as the issue continues to linger, the Twins are still hoping he will avoid the injured list.
“We’re still going to wait and see,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We’re going to get home. It’ll buy us a little more time. I’m hoping that he won’t have to go on the IL. That’s kind of the way I’m looking at it now, and I think until we learn more, we’re not going to have a shift in the way we’re thinking about it. But we’re going to give it a little bit of time.”
Donaldson was a late scratch before the first game in St. Louis, held out with hamstring tightness. He didn’t appear at all in that series. He started both games in Cincinnati on the bench, though he did make appearances in later innings to pinch hit. And in Houston, he started a pair of games — one at designated hitter and one in the field, helping lift the Twins to the win with a big hit on Friday — but has been kept off the field since.
“JD is still a little sore, and we are still working our way through, just figuring out a timeline as far as when he’ll be able to return,” Baldelli said.
Alcala steps in
A day after watching him top 100 miles per hour three times in a scoreless eighth inning, the Twins summoned for Jorge Alcala again for the eighth inning on Friday. Tied 3-3 at the time, it was one of the highest leverage situations Alcala had been placed in all season.
He succeeded. Alcala turned in a 1-2-3 inning, striking out a pair of Astros in the eventual Twins win.
With Hansel Robles now in Boston and Taylor Rogers on the shelf with a finger issue, there’s plenty of opportunity for relievers in the Twins’ bullpen to step into higher leverage situations and prove themselves. Alcala, who gave up a solo home run in Sunday’s win over the Astros but also struck out two, is trying to do just that. He is excited for the opportunity to have a chance.
Since debuting in 2019, the Twins have primarily used Alcala in lower-pressure situations, but the last two months of the season should provide him a chance to prove that he deserves the opportunity.
“I’m just really grateful they are giving me the opportunity to come out and compete in the seventh, eighth innings,” Alcala said. “And the trust of the coaching staff and the manager to come out and do my job.”
Briefly
Baldelli said reliever Beau Burrows would open Monday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. Starter Charlie Barnes is expected to come out of the bullpen in relief. The Twins will also send Griffin Jax and Bailey Ober to the mound against Chicago.
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Twins still hope Josh Donaldson can avoid injured list - Pine Journal
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