Twins' Logan Forsythe adds versatility to lineup card

DETROIT – Logan Forsythe has proved to be a pretty good utility player so far with the Twins.

Utility hitter, that is.

Forsythe has been a fixture at second since being dealt to the Twins on July 31 as part of the Brian Dozier trade with the Dodgers. In just 11 games with the Twins, he's batted leadoff, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. That includes Sunday, when he was the leadoff hitter for the second time. That has made it easier for manager Paul Molitor to fill out a lineup card.

It also helps when Forsythe is hitting. He entered Sunday batting .405 in his first 10 games as a Twin, including five multi-hit games.

"His at-bats have been really consistent and he's gotten a lot of hits," Molitor said. "He's been part of a lot of our run-scoring opportunities here the last week."

His single in the eighth inning Sunday extended his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games. That put the tying run on with two outs, but Jorge Polanco struck out to end the inning.

Molitor is just getting to know Forsythe, but he has been impressed. He arrives early, talking about the game. And he's willing to stay late, talking about the game.

"Guys develop reputations of being professional," Molitor said. "It's probably an overused word, but it's guys that can go out and adapt and understand what it takes to play, no matter where you are or what circumstances you find yourself in, given trades or free agency or all the things that can happen to a player throughout his career.

"I don't think replacing Brian Dozier or anything like that has affected him. He's just gone about his business."

Jack Morris delivered a rousing speech as his No. 47 was retired by the Tigers before Sunday's game.

With former teammates seated around him, highlights of his best games were shown on the video board as Tom Petty's "Won't Back Down" provided the musical backdrop. Molitor, Ron Gardenhire and Tom Kelly congratulated him during a separate video.

Morris then acknowledged how his two favorite teams were at Comerica Park on Sunday, finishing with, "Thank you! Go Tigers ... and Twins!"

The Twins will celebrate Morris' induction into the Hall of Fame on Saturday before a game against the Tigers at Target Field.

With Byron Buxton set to return to action for Class AAA Rochester on Tuesday, the Twins will be watching carefully to see if the outfielder can salvage what has mostly been a lost season.

Buxton is recovering from a strained left wrist, the latest setback in a season of health setbacks that has limited him to 51 games between the majors and minors. His current setback has threatened to end his season. But starting Tuesday, he can make a case to be called up in September. Rochester has 21 games remaining.

"It is in everybody's best interests, probably mostly his, to find a way for him to get as many at-bats as he can over the next couple of weeks," Molitor said.

• Righthander Michael Pineda, who threw three scoreless innings on Saturday for Class A Fort Myers, is scheduled to pitch again on Friday.

• Class A Fort Myers shortstop Royce Lewis was chosen the Twins' minor league player of the week after batting .345 with two home runs, six RBI and a .457 on-base percentage. Righthander Edwar Colina was the minor league pitcher of the week.