Twins had to warm Jordan Balazovic in case they couldn't use Jordan Luplow on mound

PHILADELPHIA – The Twins were trailing 11-2 in the eighth inning Friday night, and the Twins bullpen was quiet. Jordan Balazovic was watching from the bench beyond center field as Edouard Julien drew a walk. Ryan Jeffers lined the next pitch to left field, and suddenly the phone rang.

It was bench coach Jayce Tingler, with an urgent message: Get Balazovic warmed up. Fast.

"It was a little weird. Yeah, I wasn't expecting it," Balazovic said. "But that game was not a typical one."

Neither was that situation, though it illustrated the subtle impact of one of MLB's lesser-known new rules. With the game out of hand, manager Rocco Baldelli had planned to use a position player, outfielder Jordan Luplow, to pitch the eighth inning, in order to keep from using one of his high-leverage relievers.

But the rule, adopted just before spring training this year, states that no team can put a position player on the mound unless it trails by eight or more runs. (A team with a lead of 10 or more runs can also use a non-pitcher, but only in the ninth inning.)

"It puts you in the weird position of having to get a pitcher warmed up even if you don't plan to use him, just in case," Baldelli said. "We were down nine runs, but let's say someone pops one into the seats, and the inning ends with the next batter. You can no longer send a position player out there. So if you don't have someone hot, you've got to send a pitcher out there cold. You have to, by rule. That's how you get guys injured."

The Twins didn't score, and Luplow took the mound as planned. Balazovic sat down, but said afterward he wouldn't have minded pitching in that situation — presuming he was warmed up.

"It's still an inning. I'll take it. I want to be out there as much as possible," the rookie righthander said. "You never really know when you're going to get the call. So I always try to stay loose a little bit, even if I'm not going to pitch."

The pregame news from the Phillies clubhouse on Saturday concerned the return of a veteran to Philadelphia's lineup.

Oh, and also Bryce Harper, back from a case of back spasms.

But it was a big day for Jake Cave, too. The reserve outfielder made his first start in center field since last Sept. 11 in Target Field, during the final month of Cave's five-season career with the Twins.

"I'm excited. I've been getting some at-bats here, but it's my first time in center all year," said the 30-year-old Cave, who entered Saturday's game batting just .214 with two homers in 35 games for the Phillies. "The reunion thing is cool, too. I've seen a lot of the guys out on the field, said hello. But I can't be seen hugging up with those guys, because I'll hear about it in the clubhouse."

Cave, originally acquired from the Yankees in a spring 2018 deal for Luis Gil, appeared in 335 games for the Twins over five seasons, more than any teammate but Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, Luis Arraez and Miguel Sanó. He was claimed off waivers by the Orioles in October, then claimed by the Phillies in December.

"It's a cool clubhouse. We're playing good and we all get along really good here," Cave said. "But it's good to see the Twins, too. I had five good years there. I wish [Byron] Buxton was here, but I'm glad Kepler's hitting all those homers."

• Donovan Solano took ground balls at first base for about 20 minutes Saturday, then ran the bases. Once the Twins evaluate how he's coping with the sprained right knee and ankle, suffered last Tuesday, "it's possible" that Solano will serve as the designated hitter on Sunday, Baldelli said.

• Righthander Cole Sands reported to the Twins on Saturday, replacing Brent Headrick in the bullpen. Headrick, a lefthander, was sent back to St. Paul after throwing 67 pitches on Friday.

• Willi Castro was scratched from the starting lineup a couple of hours before Saturday's game after reporting tightness in his lower back. The injury is not believed to be serious, but Polanco played third base in his absence.

• Hernan Perez hit a three-run homer, Chris Williams hit a tiebreaking two-run single and the Saints beat Louisville for the fifth game in a row at CHS Field, winning 8-4 on a night they retired Darryl Strawberry's No. 17. The Saints also honored Mike Veeck, Marv Goldklang, Bill Murray and Van Schley, the four men who brought the independent Saints to St. Paul in 1993.