Eddie Rosario hit a fourth-inning chopper to third base Thursday, and hustled down the line to beat it out. He was successful, but his last step was costly.
Eddie Rosario injured running out ground ball during Cleveland loss
The Twins left fielder suffered a strained right quadriceps, the first of his career, during his lunge for first base, an injury that will keep him out of the lineup for at least the three-game weekend series at Texas, and perhaps longer.
"I feel in pain," Rosario said with a shrug after the game. "It just felt like I pulled my muscle. I was trying to play through it, but the pain is there."
Rosario stayed in the game for another inning, but was hampered as he ran to catch Greg Allen's fly ball. The Twins removed him from the game, and "it's tough to say right now" whether he will be healthy by next week, he said.
Shortstop Jorge Polanco sat out for the third game in a row, too, though he tested his sore left hamstring on the field before the game. Molitor was optimistic Polanco will return to action this weekend.
Gerrit Cole gave up his opt-out right on Monday and will remain with the New York Yankees under a contract that runs through 2028 rather than become a free agent.