It goes without saying that the Minnesota Twins don’t want an injury to interfere with their huge plans for the season.
Minnesota experienced its first scare of the season on Friday.
Last year, the Twins won their first postseason series since George W. Bush’s first term, thanks in large part to rookie Edouard Julien’s performance. He concluded the season hitting.263/.381/.459 with 16 home runs, giving the squad new life at the plate when it was otherwise floundering.
Julien’s bat was already on the upswing in the Twins’ minor system, and he didn’t disappoint when called up in April. After reaching the majors, Julien established himself as a critical member of the everyday lineup, so seeing him exit Friday’s game against the Pirates was the polar opposite of what fans expected.
In the first inning, he was hit by a pitch and had to leave the game when trainers examined his hand. That caused some fear among fans, but it appears that the worst-case scenario has been avoided.
Rocco Baldelli provides an encouraging Edouard Julien injury update.
After the game, manager Rocco Baldelli conceded that it wasn’t ideal from the start, but Julien’s hand shouldn’t keep him out of the picture for too long.
“It did turn black and blue immediately,” Baldelli told the Star-Tribune, “but he was doing OK and has good strength.”
Julien was not in the lineup for Saturday’s game against the New York Yankees, and was replaced by Austin Martin. That might be a look into the future in terms of what might happen if a major player is injured, which should bring some relief when considering the team’s depth.
Minnesota’s goal has shifted away from simply winning a postseason game. Last season, reaching the ALCS seemed possible, and a World Series appearance is the aim. Julien’s health will be an important part of that, and the focus now is to having him well for Opening Day.
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