LaMonte Wade Jr. called up by Twins to help depleted outfield

LaMonte Wade Jr., had one of Class AAA Rochester's 19 hits Wednesday in a 19-6 trouncing of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. A few hours later, he was on his way to the Twin Cities.

Wade was called up Thursday to help a banged-up Twins outfield. Byron Buxton remains on the injured list because of a sore right wrist. Max Kepler didn't start Wednesday because of a sore right elbow. Then Eddie Rosario injured his ankle in the third inning Wednesday and had to leave the game.

So it is Wade to the rescue.

The University of Maryland product is batting .248 with five homers and 24 RBI in 70 games for the Red Wings with 51 walks and 43 strikeouts. The 25-year-old corner outfielder was a ninth-round choice in 2015 and is a line-drive hitter who works the count.

Wade played at Target Field in the 2015 Big Ten championship game, but heading to the same park to play for the Twins was hard for him to believe.

"Everything was going so fast," he said. "I called my mom and dad, they were the first people to know. It was just really fast. I don't think it hit me until I was in the car and I saw the big buildings downtown. That's when I realized, 'OK, yeah, we're going.' I was excited."

Wade was in major league spring training camp, so manager Rocco Baldelli and the coaching staff are familiar with him. The whole city of Fort Myers, Fla., should know him by now. He spent the entire offseason in town.

"Having a chance in spring training to see him play a good bit and everything that he's been doing at Triple-A. I think he has a good approach at the plate," Baldelli said.

The outfield picture might be clearing up soon.

Buxton hit indoors Thursday and is expected to travel with the club on its road trip. He could be activated in the coming days, but the Twins will discuss if he needs to go out on a minor league rehabilitation assignment first.

"I don't think we're firm either way at this point," Baldelli said.

Kepler returned to the lineup Thursday, but he was flanked by Luis Arraez and Jake Cave. Arraez has 10 games of minor league experience in the outfield.

Rosario didn't play Thursday but Baldelli was encouraged by Rosario entering the clubhouse carrying his crutches instead of using them.

Willians Astudillo was placed on the injured list to make room for Wade. Astudillo, batting .333 since being recalled from Rochester, strained a left oblique muscle during his final at-bat Wednesday. He actually felt discomfort in that area earlier in the series.

"I think that catch I made in right field the other day, I hit myself pretty hard against the wall," he said, "and then [Wednesday], that last at-bat, with the swing I did, I felt it."

The Twins undoubtedly will be cautious with the injury.

"It's frustrating," Astudillo said. "I feel bad, because I always want to be 100 percent and help the team as much as possible and take advantage of the opportunities I've been given up here. It happens."