Injury Update: A couple Bomba Squad members nearing return

Heading into the two-game set with the New York Mets tonight, the Minnesota Twins still have a couple big members of the Bomba Squad sitting on the Injured List along with a couple of depth players.

As I was driving home from the Twin Cities on Sunday afternoon, I was able to catch some of the post-post-game show on WCCO. One listener called in and said, “They gotta sit [Nelson] Cruz and put in that Arcia guy...,” and then the host was trying to figure out who the heck he was talking about, and finally figured out he meant Willians Astudillo. Obviously the guy 1) did not know anything, 2) did not know who is actually within the Twins system, and 3) did not know Astudillo is on the IL.

So here’s your primer of current major-leaguers on the IL from the Twins (and no, Oswaldo Arcia is not on it):

Willians Astudillo, utility-man extraordinaire
10-day IL (strained oblique, June 26)

Remember this guy? We called him La Tortuga. A week after coming off the IL for a different injury, he landed back on the IL with a left oblique strain in an at-bat during the June 26 game against the Tampa Bay Rays. The team has said that it could be quite some time until La Tortuga comes back as he has not been able to resume any baseball activities since the injury.

Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune compared the situation to Arizona Diamondbacks catcher/outfielder Blake Swihart, who’s been out with the same injury since June 1. If the Twins need a 40-man roster spot opened up, it could be possible that Astudillo is moved to the 60-day IL, ending virtually any chance of seeing him in the majors this year.

C.J. Cron, 1B
10-day IL (thumb inflammation, July 5)

Cron had been battling a short time through a thumb injury but then landed on the IL on July 5 and is eligible to be activated for today’s game if he’s ready to do so. Not much has been said about Cron, but he did partake in some running drills on Sunday.

The main first baseman for the team, Cron has left an pretty big open spot right now, but has been filled well by Miguel Sano, Ehire Adrianza, and Marwin Gonzalez in the interim.

Eddie Rosario, OF
10-day IL (sprained ankle, June 26)

The ringleader of the Bomba Squad sprained his ankle running the bases against the Rays on June 26. Eligible to come off the IL for the last game before the All-Star Break, the Twins opted to keep him on the IL so that he could fully heal. Although Rosario has said himself that he is feeling better and ready to go, the team has continued to keep him sidelined so that he is ready to go for the long haul.

Although Rocco Baldelli has said he doesn’t have a firm target in mind, speculation is brewing that Rosario could be activated off the IL in time for today’s game as he’s been running through all the activities and drills.

LaMonte Wade Jr, OF
10-day IL (dislocated thumb, July 6)

Wade Jr was called up due to Cron’s aforementioned injury and then dislocated his thumb while trying to rob the Texas Rangers of a home run on the Saturday before the All-Star Break. Baldelli has said that it will take some time for it to heal, so this appears to be a long-term IL stint for Wade Jr. Even if/when he is ready to be activated, it is likely he’ll head back to Rochester unless the big-league club has a need for an outfielder at the time.

Byron Buxton, OF
Day-to-day (unknown, July 13)

Although technically not in the Injured List right now, Buxton is sidelined and considered day-to-day. By-run made a fantastic catch in shallow left-center field on Saturday night against the Cleveland Indians, but at the cost of some playing time as he’s been sidelined as a precaution after said catch resulted in him face-planting into the ground. Although Baldelli would not use the term “concussion”, it seems the Twins are waiting it out until they know Buxton is a fully healthy. If he’s not able to play against the Mets, he may land on the 7-day concussion IL.