Twins reliever Sam Dyson has shoulder surgery

DETROIT – Sam Dyson tried rest and he tried special exercises. They didn't work. So on Tuesday, he tried surgery, even though it means he might not play baseball again until 2021.

Dyson, acquired from the Giants at the trade deadline in July, had surgery to repair tears in the ligaments that form the right shoulder capsule, a procedure that could keep him sidelined for the entire 2020 season. Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who last month performed shoulder surgery on Twins center fielder Byron Buxton, operated on Dyson in Los Angeles.

"It's potentially four to five months before you start moving your arm around and start tossing, and mostly likely somewhere around 12 months before you can return to play," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "There can be instances where guys come back sooner, some later, but that's kind of what we're looking at right now."

It's possible the Twins are looking at the end of Dyson's career in Minnesota, too, a stint that lasted only 11⅓ innings and included 14 hits and nine runs, a 7.15 ERA. Dyson also spent 10 days on the injured list because of biceps tendinitis, but that condition is not considered connected to the shoulder issue.

"He's somebody who we certainly were expecting to be a big part of what we were doing here in the bullpen," Twins Chief Baseball Officer Derek Falvey said. "The value of our team is that everyone steps up, steps up behind one another and you never know how injuries are going to go over the course of the season."

It's a disappointment for Baldelli and the Twins, who believed they had acquired a reliable veteran for the bullpen when the Twins traded three prospects — outfielder Jaylin Davis and righthanders Prelander Berroa and Kai-Wei Teng — to the Giants. But the Twins manager said he was more disappointed for Dyson.

"This is his baseball career, his life. He takes a lot of pride in what he does. He's very good at what he does," Baldelli said. "To see anyone have to go through this, it's not pleasant in any way. Sure, we would have loved to see him out there. We got some brief glimpses of what he looks like when he's feeling pretty good."

Dyson informed the Twins shortly after joining them July 31 that he has been pitching with some discomfort, dating to a July 15-17 series against Colorado. He said he's had aches before and pitched through them.

"It's something pitchers always have," he said in August. "I think everyone is always working through something … Just been grinding on it."

Dyson landed on the injured list Aug. 3 and returned to action Aug. 13. Over the next 10 appearances, he posted a 2.53 ERA. Then he experienced more discomfort and was shut down.

The Twins had looked into whether either the Giants or Dyson should have known and/or informed them there was a possible injury issue, sources have confirmed.

Falvey was asked whether he's angry at either party and said, "It's difficult. That process in terms of acquisition of players, it's not a complete process always, so it's a reality of the business that we're in. It's an unfortunate outcome."

Dyson is arbitration-eligible next season, his final year under team control.

Ron Gardenhire won six AL Central titles as manager of the Twins, so he knows how much fun his old team is having as it tries to nail down its first championship since he left.

"They're all pretty special, but my first one, in 2002, my first year managing was the best," the Tigers manager said. "It's a big moment. It was a really fun season with a lot of young players. All your emotions just go out, you just kind of let all the air out of yourself. And you get to let your hair down, if you have hair."

That doesn't mean he's looking forward to watching his former team — which includes three players he managed in Minnesota — Kyle Gibson, Jorge Polanco and Trevor May — celebrate on his home field.

"I won't be watching. I'll be up in the clubhouse," Gardenhire said.

Still, though, the Twins still mean a lot to him, he said.

"I have good memories, and family and friends that are still there. And all the people that work in the organization that I got to know," Gardenhire said. "So if they're going to do it — you don't want them to — but if they're going to do it in front of us, I'd rather have it be them than any other team."

Mitch Garver "basically put himself back into the lineup" by convincing the medical staff he's healthy again, Baldelli said. Garver hadn't played since leaving Sunday's game because of a sore hip.