Twins need a starter to replace injured Kenta Maeda, and Bailey Ober is a leading candidate

Kenta Maeda's three-inning, 10-run outing in the Twins' 12-6 loss to the Yankees on Wednesday and his cited arm discomfort had the team reviewing its pitching options, particularly among the five-man starting staff.

Bailey Ober might be foremost.

Ober, the last man out for the starting rotation when spring training broke, was called up from Class AAA St. Paul on Monday and was the winning pitcher in a 3-1 victory over Washington. The 6-9 righthander was optioned back to Class AAA St. Paul on Tuesday, and former Dodger and Blue Jay Brock Stewart was summoned.

The Twins also have Louie Varland, Josh Winder, Cole Sands and Randy Dobnak all just across the river.

"I think we have real depth," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "We have major league pitchers we can turn to whenever we need them. That does help. When you start dipping into that depth and you start using those guys, then you start looking around in case you need more of it. You need to be ready when something comes up — and things always come up."

Baldelli switched his lineup almost every which way for a 12:10 p.m. game after a night game, even with the rare chance to sweep the Yankees.

Byron Buxton and Jorge Polanco weren't in it. Others such as Donovan Solano (second base), Nick Gordon (center field) and Willi Castro (third base) played positions they don't often play.

"It is difficult, but necessary," Baldelli said. "These are all individual, these aren't collective decisions being made."

Solano played second for the first time this season. That was despite Polanco's sizzling start (.409 batting average) in five games back after knee inflammation sidelined him for the season's first 19 games. Baldelli said Polanco was scheduled to get Monday or Tuesday off.

"We kind of pushed him a little bit," Baldelli said. "We got some good results, exactly what we were looking and hoping for. The 12:10 game was a necessity because he was supposed to be off yesterday."

Buxton has been getting about a day off a week and is being played exclusively as the designated hitter for now to help keep him healthy.

"Buck, he's going to be on the way we've managed him since the beginning of the season," Baldelli said. "That's not going to change."

This season's regular starting center fielder, Michael A. Taylor, wasn't in the lineup either Tuesday because of what Baldelli called a back that has been "a little bit cranky."

"He's doing fine but we're going to give him a day here and there because we have to," Baldelli said.

Wednesday's designated hitter, Jose Miranda, hit his first two homers this season. It was the second multi-homer game of his career. He hit two at Toronto on June 3, 2022, and on Wednesday led off the second inning with a solo homer 367 feet to left field. He added a two-run shot 393 feet to left-center field in the fourth.

"Obviously I felt good at the plate," Miranda said. "I've been starting to feel a little bit better. Hitting is pretty hard. It's adjustments every day."

Gordon was batting .104 entering the game but hit a triple to lead off the seventh inning.

"I felt I'm having really good at-bats throughout the season, just no luck really," he said. "That's the game of baseball. I've been hitting the ball pretty hard. I'm not in my head about it. I just keep trying to hit balls hard."

Yankees superstar Aaron Judge went 3-for-4 as the DH with two doubles — one of them clearing the loaded bases — as well as a walk and a run scored on his 31st birthday. He put a scare into Yankees fans when he appeared to jam his arm or wrist on a face-first dive trying unsuccessfully to steal third. He stayed in the game.

The St. Paul Saints' five-game winning streak ended with a 7-2 loss to the host Rochester Red Wings. Jair Camargo homered for the Saints.