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Krillioff Knocks Self from Lineup
When Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli published his first lineup of the day, Alex Kirilloff was in it, starting in left field. That’s notable as he is a left-handed batter and was set to face off against first-ballot Hall of Famer lefty Clayton Kershaw. However, the bad news dropped not more than an hour after making that decision.
The Twins up-and-coming star was headed back to the Injured List. No, this wasn’t for the knee injury that held him out of a Spring Training game, but instead, for the same wrist injury, he dealt with a season ago. That is the wrist he underwent surgery for in July, missed the rest of the season, and didn’t resume baseball activities until October.
Immediately I thought of a quote that The Athletic’s Dan Hayes shared back in March. Kirilloff said, “I ramped up to where I was ready to hit a velocity machine, and it just didn’t feel right, so we shut it down for a month in November and then started ramping up in December again. That second time around, it felt better.” The comment caused some pause at the time as it wasn’t great that issues were still present. I tried to tuck it into the back of my mind, but it clearly reared its head again today.
Then there’s the frustration of what Kirilloff is really dealing with. Today, MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park tweeted that Kirilloff shared he’s never swung pain-free since the injury. That is a substantial problem, both for the player and the Twins.
A season ago, Kirilloff was a prospect looking to establish himself as a big-league ballplayer. Up until his May 3 wrist sprain, he owned a .799 OPS, and it was backed by a seven-game stretch in which he slashed .321/.333/.857. After a cortisone shot and some rehab, Kirilloff returned to play another 47 games but posted just a .703 OPS with virtually non-existent power. At that point, combined with the Twins postseason prognosis, surgery was deemed favorable.
Coming into this season, Kirilloff didn’t have anything guaranteed, but the left-field role was his for the taking. This is a Minnesota team looking at a postseason berth, and they were going to count on the former first-round pick to bolster the lineup in a big way. That was until it was discovered, a week into the season, that his wrist hadn’t been pain-free.
It’s hard to fault an athlete for wanting to compete, but the 1-for-17 start indicated more than just tough luck. Being put in the lineup even on the day he was sent to the Injured List suggests this was news to everyone but the outfielder. Who knows what could have been done differently, how the roster could’ve been shaped, or how his health could’ve been prioritized before this point, but now the Twins are stuck in a waiting game that is the result of an ineffective surgery and a blindside.
Kershaw Flirts With Perfection
Watching the game from different spaces within Target Field, it was clear Minnesota had no answer for the Dodgers star southpaw today. Kershaw cruised through each inning with ease, never facing a deep count and with no real contact that threatened the production of a base runner. As the innings drew on and the strikeouts increased, the only thing hot at the ballpark was the future Hall of Famer.
After completing his 7th inning of work, on just 80 pitches, Kershaw had thirteen strikeouts and had allowed zero baserunners. When he entered the dugout, manager Dave Roberts greeted him. They high-fived, and it seemed to signify that his day was done. Blake Treinen had been warming in the bullpen, and the Los Angeles manager seemed ready to lift his star six outs from a perfect game.
Following the conclusion, Kershaw shared that “it was the right move…it was time.” That’s the response of a veteran not looking to undo his manager's decision, but it’s also the correct one.
While it would’ve been amazing to see the legendary arm turn in baseball’s 24th perfect game, there are no guarantees it would happen. More than playing the “what if” game, though, there’s the levity of the situation. Last year Kershaw dealt with an injury down the stretch, and in the Postseason, for a Dodgers team looking at success solely through the lens of a World Series ring. He then didn’t ramp up his throwing program until January, later than usual, providing his body time to heal. Throw in a lockout-shortened Spring Training, and you have an arm that has yet to be stretched beyond 60-70 pitches.
For fans, this was a 36-degree game in April. For the Dodgers (and hopefully the Twins), this was a game during the first week of a marathon to the World Series. Perfection certainly would’ve been amazing, and it would’ve kept me at the park for another six outs despite the 6-0 score. Still, there’s also the likely possibility the ramifications would’ve been felt far longer than a magical day in April.
Wednesday was dominated by two K’s and maybe three if you attribute a third to Kershaw’s strikeout tally. Both were detrimental for the Twins, and only one of the two situations played out well. Better days ahead.
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