Twins sign former All-Star Aaron Sanchez to Saints deal, put Ober on injured list

Four players on the restricted list were also activated, and three Twins were sent to St. Paul.

June 7, 2022 at 12:57PM
Aaron Sanchez pitched for the Washington Nationals in May, going 3-3 with a 8.33 ERA. (Lynne Sladky, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Twins put starting pitcher Bailey Ober back on the injured list Monday after a recurrence of his groin strain.

And they signed a starting pitcher, Aaron Sanchez, to a minor league deal. Sanchez, an eight-year major league veteran, was 3-3 for the Washington Nationals earlier this season, but had an 8.33 ERA before he was waived and elected free agency rather than a minor league assignment.

Sanchez, 29, was 15-2 and an All-Star for Toronto in 2016, finishing seventh in AL Cy Young voting, but never matched that success in ensuing seasons.

After being traded to Houston, he sat out the 2020 season because of a torn shoulder muscle. He pitched nine games for San Francisco last season and seven for the Nationals this season. He will report to Class AAA St. Paul.

The Twins reinstated four players — Max Kepler, Trevor Megill, Emilio Pagan and Caleb Thielbar — from the restricted list after they missed a weekend series in Toronto because they were not vaccinated and couldn't enter Canada.

To make room on the roster, pitchers Jharel Cotton and Ian Hamilton and outfielder Mark Contreras were returned to the Saints.

Ober goes to the 15-day IL retroactive to Thursday. He has a 4.01 ERA in 33⅔ innings this season. He was also on the IL from April 29-May 21 because of a groin strain.

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