Twins hang on to lefthanded batters in roster shuffle after Jorge Polanco's return

KANSAS CITY, MO. — The Twins' position-player logjam claimed its first victim on Friday — well, besides Trevor Larnach, who was crowded back to the minors on Thursday — when Cole Sands was optioned to Class AAA St. Paul, temporarily leaving the Twins with 12 pitchers.

The move allowed the Twins to activate Jorge Polanco from the injured list, where he's spent the past seven weeks after reinjuring his left hamstring, the ailment that also cost him two weeks in May.

It also allows the Twins to keep Matt Wallner, who has posted a .914 OPS since being recalled two weeks ago, on the roster and in the lineup.

"The longer we can carry all of these left-handed hitters and stack them into that lineup, the better. And Wallner is definitely a big part of that conversation, especially the way he's swinging the bat," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "This is the best way to do that. It's not something we'll be able to do forever, but it's something we can do now."

That's because the Royals are the second-worst scoring team in the majors, and the Twins have days off on either side of this series. But starting Tuesday, they'll play 13 straight days, and face better offensive teams, so they're not likely to keep 14 position players for long. It's possible that trades made this weekend, ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, could solve the roster dilemma.

In the meantime, the Twins will learn how well Polanco remembers third base, a position he has played only nine times in his career, all in 2016 as a fill-in behind Miguel Sanó. He became reacquainted with the position over three games last week during a rehab assignment with St. Paul.

"I've just got to used to it, you know? Hopefully, I'll be good there," said Polanco, who in 2019 was the American League's starting shortstop at the All-Star Game. He's confident his arm is strong enough for the position — "It's not that hard," he said. "I'll get it there" — but has been getting extra practice with his footwork.

"My first step, my drop step, I'm working to back-handed and to the glove side," Polanco said. "That's the only thing that's going to be maybe a little different, and how the ball gets to third base — it gets there quicker, so I've got to be ready."

Dylan Floro is an eight-year major league veteran who has appeared in 311 regular-season games, plus 14 more in the postseason, including five World Series games with the Dodgers. He's 32 and was particularly effective from 2020-22, even saved 32 games for the Marlins.

He's slipped a bit this year, with a handful of rough outings inflating his ERA to 4.54. But Floro is confident that the Twins won't regret acquiring him for Jorge López on Wednesday.

"Sometimes a change of scenery changes things up. The last couple outings, I have turned it around, looking positive," said Floro, who can become a free agent at season's end. "I'm a ground-ball pitcher, and we've got a really good defense here."

More than half of all balls put in play against Floro are grounders, and he specializes in getting righthanded batters. Baldelli said that will help dictate how he's used.

"There's not just one way we're going to use him," the manager said. "He's a versatile guy. I could see him working his way into some of those spots [when the Twins have a lead] that lead into [Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran] coming into the game. … He's a good, calm veteran presence."

Austin Martin and Ernie Yake each went 3-for-4, scored twice and drove in a combined six runs as the St. Paul Saints trounced the Toledo Mud Hens 8-2 Friday night at CHS Field in St. Paul. Starter Dallas Keuchel pitched six complete innings, striking out eight and allowing two runs on six hits.

Byron Buxton returned to the Twins after missing three games for the birth of his third son, Baire, on Monday, but he was not in the lineup.

"We're not going to take him after four days and stick him right in the lineup after having not run or swing a bat or anything like that," Baldelli said. "Even if he's done minimal work, this is the right thing."