Joe Mauer is back! Sort of! The Twins’ star catcher returned to the Twins’ lineup a week after a heel injury sidelined him. He pinch-hit last night (pinch-struck-out, really), and as the AP reports, today was his first day back in the starting lineup.
Joe Mauer Returns To Twins’ Lineup As Designated Hitter
Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer was in the lineup at designated hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, his first start in more than a week.
Mauer struck out as a pinch-hitter Saturday night after missing eight games because of a deeply bruised left heel he sustained while running out a grounder April 30.
The move to DH obviously isn’t permanent, nor is it particularly novel; Mauer has averaged about a dozen starts at DH per season during his time at the Twins, including a career-high 28 DH starts last season. Further, Mauer could be back behind the plate by his team’s next game on Tuesday, provided his heel has healed satisfactorily.
If it hasn’t though, it’s hardly a great concern of manager Ron Gardenhire’s if Mauer takes a few extra days; AAA callup Wilson Ramos has been decent in his week of play in Mauer’s absence. Clearly, Gardenhire would rather have Mauer behind the plate long-term, but there’s no urgency in forcing Mauer back behind the plate before his healing is complete.
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