Dallas Keuchel says he's in a good situation now with the Minnesota Twins

It's only 13 miles down the freeway, but a long way back to the major leagues for 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel.

The Twins on Thursday promoted him from their Class AAA St. Paul team to their big league roster after he exercised an opt-out clause in his minor league contract. He's scheduled to start Sunday against Arizona at Target Field.

"This is a good situation," Keuchel said at his Twins clubhouse locker stall before Friday's game. "I know a lot of these guys from competing against them. It's tough to not like the Twins and the situation that they have moving forward. It's going to be a good fit."

At age 35, Keuchel is pitching for his sixth MLB team, including the 2017 World Series champion Houston Astros. The Twins signed him as a minor league free agent on June 22 after Keuchel took seven months away at home in Scottsdale, Ariz., to heal from injury.

He acquainted himself with new teammates Friday afternoon.

"He was going around the room and introduced himself to some of the new players," Twins bench coach Jayce Tingler said. "He didn't have to introduce himself to Carlos [Correa]. They had a big hug. We've gotten great reports. He's throwing the ball extremely well in St. Paul and we're excited for him take the mound on Sunday."

The two-time All Star and five-time Gold Glove winner made six starts for St. Paul, going 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA, and was named the International League Pitcher of the Month for July.

He was asked Friday if he doubted whether he'd make it all the way back.

"No, I think more the doubt was, `Am I ever going to be healthy?'" Keuchel said. "That was really the one thing weighing a lot on my mind and mentally that took a toll probably more than I let on last year. It was a nice seven months to get back. This was one of the spots I really wanted to be from the get-go. It just worked out the way it worked out. Hopefully I can step in and do some good work."

When the Twins added Keuchel on Thursday, they put starter Joe Ryan on the 15-day injured list with a left groin strain. They slotted Keuchel to start Sunday's series-ending game against Arizona — one of six MLB teams for which he has pitched — and giving Pablo López an extra day of rest.

Former Twins great Joe Mauer will go into the team's Hall of Fame before Saturday's game against Arizona. To get there, he'll have to give a speech first.

"It's done, it just needs practice," Mauer told reporters before Friday's game. "It's tough because there's a lot of people who have helped me along the way to get to this point and you want to thank everyone.

"I plan on doing a lot of thank yous watching the game, talking one-on-one. That's kind of been my M.O. my whole career. You can make a little more of an impact. But I'll do my best out there tomorrow and enjoy it."

Twins starting DH Matt Wallner went to a handful of Twins games every year when he was growing up in Forest Lake. Like Wallner then and now, Twins stars Mauer and Justin Morneau both were tall left-handed hitters back then.

When asked if he was a Mauer or Morneau guy, Wallner said, "Both. Joe had the advantage being from here, but I liked Morneau's power. I always was amazed the way Joe could get to any pitch, that he didn't strike out.

"I was 6-5 and 180 in high school, then I got bigger as a senior. I never could be a hitter like Joe: Use left field, the whole field, like he did. Once I got stronger, my only chance to get anywhere was to hit for power."

• The St. Paul Saints were held to three hits and lost 7-0 to the Columbus Clippers in Columbus, Ohio. Brooks Lee and DaShawn Keirsey Jr. each had a single in their Class AAA debut.

Staff writer Patrick Reusse contributed to this story.