Twins to place Phil Hughes (oblique) on disabled list to open 2018 season

The veteran pitcher's oblique injury means that lefty Gabriel Moya and right-hander Tyler Kinley have claimed spots in the bullpen to start the season.

March 27, 2018 at 7:48PM
The Twins might place righthander Phil Hughes on the DL because of a left oblique strain, which would end the competition for the final bullpen spot.
The Twins might place righthander Phil Hughes on the DL because of a left oblique strain, which would end the competition for the final bullpen spot. (Brian Wicker — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

WASHINGTON — Phil Hughes is headed to the disabled list to open the season, with a strained oblique on his left side, Twins manager Paul Molitor said Tuesday. Hughes' absence means both lefthander Gabriel Moya and righthander Tyler Kinley have claimed bullpen spots, at least for now.

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Hughes, who hasn't appeared in a regular season game since last July 14, remained in Fort Myers, but his scheduled minor-league start on Tuesday was cancelled so he can get treatment on his oblique, which became sore shortly after his start last Thursday. The Twins had planned for Hughes (pictured) to serve as the fifth starter during Ervin Santana's absence, and they won't need one until April 11. It's possible the veteran righthander can return by then, Molitor said.

"You'd have to think it's still in the mix, at least to try," the manager said. "We can't force it if he's not ready. But we'll see when he is able to pitch in a game again."

Moya made the team, despite never having pitched in Triple-A, off a strong spring, in which he allowed only one run in 11 innings. Kinley is similarly inexperienced at the highest levels, but displayed a fastball near 100 mph in camp. As a Rule 5 pick, the Twins have to keep Kinley on their roster all season, or offer him back to the Marlins.

The Twins still have one more cut to make — choosing two backup outfielders from a trio of Robbie Grossman, Zack Granite and Ryan LaMarre — but Molitor said it will wait until after the game.

Jose Berrios will throw roughly 50 pitches today, assuming the threatening skies don't deliver rain, and then the team will catch a plane for their opening day destination. Wait — the Nationals will catch a plane, not the Twins. In an odd bit of scheduling, the Nationals are playing this exhibition game in their home park, then flying to Cincinnati for the 2018 opener. The Twins will simply bus up the parkway to Baltimore, where they will work out tomorrow and open the season on Thursday.

Here are today's lineups:

TWINS

Dozier 2B

Mauer DH

Sano 3B

Rosario LF

Morrison 1B

Escobar SS

Kepler RF

Buxton CF

Castro C

Berrios RHP, then Hildenberger, Rogers, Moya.

NATIONALS

Eaton DH

Rendon 3B

Harper RF

Keindrick 2B

Adams 1B

Turner SS

Taylor CF

Montero C

Goodwin LF

Gonzalez LHP

about the writer

about the writer

Phil Miller

Reporter

Phil Miller has covered the Twins for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2013. Previously, he covered the University of Minnesota football team, and from 2007-09, he covered the Twins for the Pioneer Press.

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