Stephen Gonsalves, the top-rated left-handed pitching prospect in the Twins' farm system, will make his major-league debut on Monday.
Ervin Santana back on disabled list; Stephen Gonsalves will debut Monday
Former All-Star starter still feeling lingering pain in his surgically repaired pitching finger.
August 19, 2018 at 4:49PM
Gonsalves will replace Ervin Santana in the Twins' rotation. Santana was placed on the disabled list again Sunday after five mostly disappointing starts, in order to address pain in his middle finger that still bothers him after February surgery.
"Sometimes it feels good, sometimes it doesn't feel good. It's a little bit difficult," said the 35-year-old Santana, who has allowed 22 runs over 24 2/3 total innings in five starts, an 8.03 ERA. "This time that I'm going to take off is to try to make it right, try to make it better, and that way I don't have to worry about it."
Righthanded reliever Alan Busenitz was recalled from Class AAA Rochester to take Santana's place on the roster for Sunday's game with Detroit, and the Twins will make another roster move on Monday in order to activate Gonsalves in time to face the White Sox.
The left-handed starter, the Twins' fourth-round pick in 2013, has a 2.96 ERA in 19 games at Rochester, allowing just 65 hits — albeit with 55 walks — in 100 1/3 innings this year. He will become the fourth Twins starter to make his big-league debut this year, following Fernando Romero, Zack Littell and Kohl Stewart.
Gonsalves and Busenitz flew from Toledo, where the Red Wings were playing, to Minneapolis on Sunday morning, and there was a third Twin on their flights, too: Robbie Grossman. The veteran outfielder was activated from the disabled list after racking up five hits in three rehab games. Johnny Field was optioned to Rochester after Saturday's game to make room.
On the field, the Twins will try to win their four-game series with the Tigers behind the pitching of Jake Odorizzi. The Tigers had planned to call up Jacob Turner to start today's game, but 10 days had not passed since Turner was designated for assignment, making him ineligible to return to their roster. So righthander Buck Farmer, 3-4 with a 4.33 ERA this year, will make his first start of the season today.
Widely known that Minnesota sports fans are among the most suffering in the nation, this holiday season has the chance to become special, given the recent success of the Vikings, Wolves, Lynx and Wild.
