FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Twins ruled out two pitchers from their Opening Day bullpen on Sunday, simultaneously moving closer to settling on their eight-man ¡®pen and also increasing the unknowns around that unit.
Right-hander Brock Stewart (left hamstring strain) said that he will open the season on the injured list, and righty Eiberson Castellano has been informed he will not make the team after competing this spring as a Rule 5 Draft pick. With Michael Tonkin (right shoulder strain) and Erasmo Ram¨ªrez (right shoulder strain) also starting the season on the injured list, the Twins have seven healthy relievers who appear set to make the team and one opening.
The question is how they fill that opening. Right-hander Scott Blewett, a non-roster pitcher, has also been informed he will not make the team. Lefty Anthony Misiewicz, also a non-roster invitee, is still in camp but appears to be a long shot.
As a result, the eighth reliever who will be in the visitors¡¯ clubhouse at Busch Stadium on Opening Day on Thursday may not have been in the home clubhouse at Lee Health Sports Complex on Sunday morning. It¡¯s possible Minnesota could recall a pitcher who has already been optioned, such as Kody Funderburk, but signs seem to be pointing instead toward an acquisition from outside. Because any recall would replace an injured player, that pitcher would not need the full 15 days that an optioned pitcher typically must spend in the Minors.
¡°I mean, our roster¡¯s not complete right now,¡± manager Rocco Baldelli said Saturday. ¡°We haven¡¯t made all of our decisions yet. We¡¯re close to the end of camp, but it¡¯s not unusual for a roster to come together in the last day or two days of Spring Training. And we have a number of guys that competed really well in this camp that are still vying for a spot or two that are open.¡±
Stewart will be a part of the bullpen once he¡¯s cleared, and that shouldn¡¯t be a long time. He¡¯s working to get back to full strength after suffering a left hamstring strain earlier in camp. He pitched in a Minor League game Saturday and is progressing well, but he is coming off of shoulder surgery last year and the club will proceed slowly with him.
¡°I was told [about the IL stint] a few days ago,¡± Stewart said. ¡°I don¡¯t even really think it has much to do with my leg. I think it¡¯s just coming back from surgery, building up. I think they want to get me at a point where I¡¯m throwing back-to-back here in Florida before I can be activated. I believe that¡¯s the plan.¡±
Castellano, meanwhile, will not be a part of the Twins¡¯ Major League roster any time soon, if ever. Minnesota has not formally made a roster move with him yet, but he will not break camp with the Major League club.
Per the regulations of the Rule 5 Draft, a club must place a draftee on waivers if it elects not to keep him. Should he clear waivers, he would then be required to be offered back to his original club (in this case the Phillies) for $50,000, half the original fee to draft him. In such a case, Minnesota and Philadelphia could work out a trade for the Twins to keep Castellano¡¯s rights, but that¡¯s several steps down the road.
¡°He¡¯s a 23-year-old young man with a very bright future who gave everything that he could possibly give in Spring Training this year,¡± Baldelli said. ¡°He was very focused. He worked very hard for us and threw the ball pretty well. We got a chance to see a young man who¡¯s developing. We¡¯re watching him develop right in front of our eyes. And it was enjoyable to watch a guy work like that and throw the ball like that.¡±