New Twin John Gant hopes for assignment to go with his starter's assortment of pitches

HOUSTON – New Twins righthander John Gant throws a fastball, cut fastball, changeup and curveball. Enough pitches for him to be someone who can work through a batting order two, maybe three times a game.

A starter's repertoire, if has enough control and movement.

Gant, who came to the Twins as part of the deal involving J.A. Happ right before the trade deadline, has made 42 starts among the 161 games he's appeared in since debuting in 2016. And he sounds as if he would like to get a shot in the Twins rotation if possible.

"I'm still waiting to hear on a specified role," he said. "Really hoping to get a chance to make some starts. I see myself as a starting pitcher. I'd really like that opportunity to prove myself. I'm here to play baseball and baseball is what I'm going to play."

He's 23-21 with a 3.71 ERA in his career. But he's walked 4.9 batters per nine innings in his career, which doesn't work for a starter or reliever, but especially a starter. But Gant is only 28 and has a chance to show the Twins that he's improved with the experience he's received.

The Twins were able to bring in six minor league pitching prospects during the deadline phase, with many of them projected as starters. Righthanders Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman came from the Rays in the Nelson Cruz deal. Righthander Simeon Woods-Richardson came from Toronto as part of a package for Jose Berrios. Those three, along existing Twins prospects Jhoan Duran, Jordan Balazovic and Josh Winder, could be heard from over the next year.

Gant is here now, and perhaps he will get a shot to start.

Or maybe not right now.

"He has not communicated that to me personally," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "He's talked with our pitching guys, though, and shared some of his thoughts on that. He's going to pitch out of the bullpen right now for us. That's where he's going to fit at least for the time being.

"We never know what's going to happen in this game so I don't like to rule anything out but we're going to get him settled in in the bullpen and try to get the best innings out of him as we possibly can and start there."

If they change their plans, Gant is ready.

"I haven't like made a formal request or anything like that," Gant said, "but we have talked about it and I think everyone is on the same page with that process."

As for Winder

Winder, 3-0 with a 1.98 ERA at Class AA Wichita, was on a path to pitch for the Twins before the end of the season. But he has been shut down for two to three weeks because of shoulder fatigue. It's viewed as a precaution after he was unable to pitch at all during the 2020 season that was wiped out because of the pandemic.

Etc.

Josh Donaldson, who has been bothered by a sore hamstring, on Friday made his first start at third base since July 27. He was the designated hitter on Thursday and had made pinch hit appearances before that.

Luis Arraez went to his right and made a nice grab of Kyle Tucker's grounder to end the seventh, but he injured his right knee in the process. He fell down while swinging and missing a pitch in the eighth and had to leave the game. He's been diagnosed with right knee tightness and is day to day. Willians Astudillo finished Arraez's at-bat with a groundout, then replaced him at second base.

Lefthander Charlie Barnes will make his next scheduled start on Monday against the White Sox.

Lefthander Lewis Thorpe, out since early June with shoulder problems, is scheduled to pitch for Class AAA St. Paul on Sunday.

The Twins entered Friday 35-15 when they score five or more runs a game. When they don't, they are 10-48.