​The Twins placed reliever Marco Raya on the injured list Wednesday afternoon because of a right shoulder impingement. They didn’t immediately fill his roster spot, continuing to operate with a 25-man roster against the Cleveland Guardians, while planning the corresponding move ahead of Thursday’s game. That move is anticipated to be significant, as Bailey Ober is expected to return from the injured list Thursday after two rehab games and a bullpen session on Tuesday, during which he felt good.
Manager Derek Shelton said Ober, sidelined since the end of May with elbow inflammation, will “most likely” pitch Thursday. “It’s good. It feels good. Let’s not take anything away from what Mikey Paredes has done,” Shelton added. “He has come in and stepped up and helped us, a guy that wasn’t even in big league camp, and he has given us innings. But overall, it’s going to be nice to get back to closer to being healthy. We’re getting there.”
Paredes has appeared in seven games and started five in Ober’s absence, yielding 15 earned runs over 29 1/3 innings (4.60 ERA) while effectively keeping the Twins in games. With Ober back, Paredes could shift to the bullpen.
At Target Field, the bullpen doors opened and Taylor Rogers took the mound for the first time on April 14, 2016. In his major league debut, he recorded two outs. More than a decade later, Rogers did it again, establishing a new record for most appearances by a pitcher in ballpark history during Tuesday night’s game, breaking a tie with Caleb Thielbar. Rogers spoke about reflecting on his long tenure at the venue, noting that the most meaningful moment is still hearing his name called to come out of the bullpen. He set the new Target Field record in two separate stints with the Twins, first debuting in 2016 and remaining through 2021 before returning as a free agent this offseason. The Twins acknowledged the milestone after their 3-1 win Tuesday night in the clubhouse. Shelton called the moment “really special,” adding how meaningful it was to honor Rogers in that room.
Luke Keaschall made his first major league start in right field on June 26, and a little under two weeks later, he earned his first career start in center, a position he’d experienced in the minors.
The Twins also have other options in center field, including Byron Buxton.