Willians Astudillo starts at catcher for Twins

CLEVELAND – With injuries forcing roster moves, the Twins have had to adjust to carrying only two catchers on their roster in Mitch Garver and Willians Astudillo.

Astudillo started at catcher Saturday at Cleveland, with usual starter Garver taking a rest day.

"He came up as a catcher, so he knows how to read swings," Garver said of Astudillo. "He knows how to call a game. He's pretty aware of the kind of plan that we have going forward with all of our guys.

"Unfortunately for him, he hasn't had a lot of work with some of our guys, so every day seems like it kind of brings a new challenge just with the familiarity part of it."

"La Tortuga," as he's affectionately known, does have a lot to keep straight in his mind. Manager Rocco Baldelli has looked to keep him as a utility player who can slot in pretty much anywhere, even at pitcher in a blowout game.

"It does change the dynamics of some of the moves and some of the flexibility that we have," Baldelli said. "… You may not be able to use him the way that you would prefer, but that's fine. We can function well and still be able to put some good lineups out there the way we want in this setup."

Baldelli added that using Astudillo more at catcher means he's not on the bench to pinch-hit or for other situations. Baldelli also has to think about playing Astudillo in the field at all and risking injury, prevalent at the catcher position.

"There are days where he might be catching, and we have an issue in the field. A few of those issues he might be the only answer to. Therefore Garv might have to go back behind the plate," Baldelli said. "Some of the time when he's not the only answer, but you'd prefer to use him there, you're not going to be able to use him there. You're going to have to use someone else or try a different configuration."

Jorge Polanco came out of Thursday's doubleheader becausea of a right ankle injury, the same area he's had surgery on twice the past two offseasons to remove bone spurs. The second baseman hasn't played since, and Baldelli is waiting until Monday to decide if Polcano might be head to the injured list.

Baldelli added Polanco, whose discomfort hasn't dissipated since he slid into a base in the Oakland series a week ago, had seen a doctor and could receive a cortisone injection

Designated hitter Nelson Cruz, who had a pitch hit him in the wrist in the doubleheader, sat out another game in Cleveland on Saturday. He tested his wrist with some swings ahead of Saturday's game but still dealt with swelling and soreness from the bruise.

Baldelli said Cruz wasn't quite up to taking a full game's worth of at-bats but could ramp up soon to off-the-bench appearances.

Two players dealt with injuries amid the 5-3 loss to Cleveland. Starting pitcher Kenta Maeda left before the sixth inning as he continued to deal with a groin issue from his previous start.

"I was locked into going for the sixth inning, but that half-inning took a very long time, and that's when the tightness started to tighten a little more, gradually," Maeda said in Japanese through an interpreter.

Luis Arraez also nearly made an exit after injuring his right shoulder sliding into second base on an attempted steal in the first inning. He continued to play but is still dealing with shoulder tightness, enough to have Baldelli worry about his availability for Sunday.