Luis Arraez as a power hitter? 'I just want to hit line drives'

SEATTLE — Luis Arraez shook hands with Ichiro Suzuki this week during the Twins' series in Seattle — "a great honor," the Twins' infielder said, to meet the two-time AL batting champion. "He's a great hitter. Looks like he still is."

Like Suzuki, Arraez is an on-base specialist, currently leading the majors in on-base percentage with a .436 average entering Wednesday. Suzuki retired with a .355 career OBP, but it was .378 through his first nine seasons with the Mariners, taking him to age 35.

But Suzuki also showed power during his career, averaging 33.7 extra-base hits with the Mariners, and reaching double-digits in home runs three times. It was often said that Suzuki could have been an elite power hitter if he had chosen to be that, rather than a high-average batsman.

Could Arraez be a home-run hitter if he altered his approach? manager Rocco Baldelli doesn't even like to think about it.

"That statement, which I've also heard many times, takes the discussion in the wrong direction. There's a difference between having power and being guys who could 'easily' hit 30 homers. It's two different things, in my opinion," Baldelli said. "What made them special is what they did do. What made them special is the fact that they were so consistent, and that alone, that's a real important trait that they have that almost no one else had.

"Sure, Ichiro could bang balls off the glass four levels up over here, and he had tremendous power. But those discussions get kind of warped a little bit when we start talking about them."

Arraez doesn't mind the comparison — "Sure, I'd like to hit home runs," he conceded — but sounded skeptical that his talents would ever allow it. Better to stick with what is working, he said.

"I just only try to be hitting line drives. That's how I [contribute]," said Arraez, who owns nine career home runs, including a grand slam off Rays righthander Shane Baz last Saturday. "I know Ichiro could hit home runs, but I just want to hit line drives."

Jorge Polanco's sore back is not any better — nor any worse — than it was when he underwent extensive testing last October, the Twins determined after examining a new MRI this week.

Since their second baseman has shown an ability to play through soreness, both in his back and his surgically repaired right ankle, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli is choosing to regard that as good news.

"No significant differences in his MRI, so that was a positive," Baldelli said of Polanco, who has not played since Sunday. But "he's still feeling the tightness."

With no game on Thursday, Polanco will have had two more days of rest before Friday night's game in Phoenix — enough time, the team hopes, for Polanco to avoid the first injured list stint of his career. Polanco has played more innings in the field than any other Twin in each of the past three seasons, and his 489 innings so far this year lead the team again.

Arraez has played second base in Jorge Polanco's absence, with Jose Miranda taking over at first base. Should the Twins need another middle infielder, Baldelli said Nick Gordon's hamstring has improved enough that he could man shortstop or second base.

"Nick's noticeably better," Baldelli said. "So if we need to do anything at shortstop, we can simply put Nick back over there and let him play. I feel good with that."

If nothing else, Jovani Moran knows disappointing days like Wednesday morning can happen only twice more this season.

The lefthanded reliever arrived at T-Mobile Park, only to learn he had been optioned to Class AAA St. Paul, his roster spot needed in order to activate Sonny Gray. Moran, who packed up and caught a flight to Columbus, Ohio, where the Saints play this week, has now been optioned to the minors three times this season, two short of MLB's new five-time limit.

Moran appeared in six games since his most recent recall on May 28, and though he allowed a run in each of his last two appearances, his ERA for this season stands at 1.74.