Increased velocity has Twins reliever Emilio Pagán in more high-pressure situations

There was no "aha" moment or a bullpen session where everything clicked, but Emilio Pagán noticed his velocity trending upward a month ago.

The result: The Twins reliever's 95-mph fastballs are now zipping to the plate around 98 mph and he's earning more trust to pitch in late-inning situations.

Since giving up a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning vs. the Dodgers on May 17, Pagán owns a 1.82 ERA across 23 relief appearances. He has yielded four hits and one run in eight innings this month, pitching a scoreless seventh inning Friday vs. the White Sox.

"I feel just really, really comfortable in my delivery," Pagán said. "Probably the most comfortable I've been in my delivery for a few seasons."

Pagán was pushed into higher-leverage situations after injuries to Brock Stewart and Caleb Thielbar, along with Jorge López's struggles. He wants to improve the execution of his pitches in some spots, but the added velocity, he says, helps him feel more confident.

"Things happen where you may not be injured, but you might get a little sore, so you compensate and without even realizing it, you can change your delivery just from going out and pitching one day," he said. "I think that happened to me a little bit a few years ago. I probably pitched through some stuff that I shouldn't have, and it's been a very frustrating grind to where I feel like myself.

"Right now, I feel very comfortable."

With hot-hitting Edouard Julien manning second base, Jorge Polanco began preparing to play third base on his rehab assignment at Class AAA St. Paul.

"He's going to get work in at second, but he's going to get probably even more work in at third," said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, who spoke with Polanco over the phone Friday. "When he gets into his first [rehab] game at third, that hasn't been decided yet, but his work is going to start over there."

Polanco played 77 innings at third base in 2016, the last time he played the position, but his background as a shortstop gives Baldelli confidence he can handle an in-season position change. Polanco, recovering from a hamstring injury, isn't expected to rejoin the Twins on their current six-game homestand.

"I just want to make sure he gets enough work in over there," Baldelli said. "We can't rush someone that's never played a spot in the field before over to another spot, and then rush him out there into a game."

Royce Lewis began playing catch last weekend and he took swings Friday as he ramps up his number of baseball activities recovering from an oblique strain.

"I feel good, but this is a tricky injury," Lewis said. "I feel good, but what they are telling me is it can always come back. I want to follow and listen. I don't want to get hurt again and have to miss the whole year."

Saturday is the exact three-week mark from the game Lewis injured his oblique. The Twins are hoping he can return as early as mid-August.

"I'm doing everything I possibly can," Lewis said. "Whatever they let me do, I feel like I'm doing a little bit more than what they give me to do. I'm just trying to listen as best as I can. It's hard. I want to play, and I want to be out there with the guys."

• Willi Castro and Joey Gallo were both scratched from Friday's lineup because of pink eye. "This will be something that our clubhouse and team will be dealing with for a little while," Baldelli said.

• Thielbar (oblique) threw a bullpen session Thursday and is expected to face hitters in a live batting practice session Saturday.

• The Twins signed their second pick (No. 34 overall) in the MLB Draft, righthanded pitcher Charlee Soto. First-round pick Walker Jenkins is the only Twins draftee who remains unsigned from the first 18 rounds.

• Josh Winder gave up three runs in the ninth inning as Omaha rallied for a 5-4 home victory over the Saints. Winder gave up a one-out RBI single to Samad Taylor, and after an intentional walk to load the bases, Logan Porter hit a walk-off, two-run double.