Whoever Arizona runs out for Saturday's middle game is patching over a rotation that just lost Corbin Burnes for the year. The teres major strain on top of his Tommy John rehab pushes any return to September at the earliest, leaving Eduardo Rodriguez, Zac Gallen, Michael Soroka, Ryne Nelson, and Merrill Kelly to carry it. Minnesota's rotation is held together with similar tape after losing Bailey Ober, Pablo Lopez, and David Festa, so neither side is throwing its A-list at this one.
The Twins arrive at Chase Field on the back of a 4-game winning streak capped by a 12-2 demolition of Texas on Monday, their biggest hit night of the season at 17. Kody Clemens went deep on Kumar Rocker, Byron Buxton is up to 23 homers, and the lineup looks nothing like the version that sleep-walked through May. They're still 35-40 and the math is ugly, but they're playing the best baseball anyone in the building has played in a month. First pitch is 7:10 PM MT.
Arizona, meanwhile, just got drilled by the Angels — 7-0 on Monday with Reid Detmers tossing 7 shutout innings and Mike Trout doing the rest with a 436-foot bomb. That was Merrill Kelly's second straight clunker, and 7 shutout losses is a lot for a team that's supposed to be a top-half offense. The D-backs are 37-36, technically above water, but the Burnes news and the Kelly slide have the vibes pointing down.
- Day-To-DayKaelen Culpepper SS — Culpepper was placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday with a left hip strain, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.
- Day-To-DayRicardo Olivar C — Triple-A St. Paul transferred Olivar from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day IL on June 4 while he recovers from a right knee sprain, Twins writer Brandon Warne reports.
- Day-To-DayWalker Jenkins CF — Jenkins (shoulder) could start a rehab assignment with Single-A Fort Myers as soon as Saturday, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.
- Day-To-DayJulian Merryweather RP — Merryweather (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the Twins' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday, Theodore Tollefson of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
- Day-To-DayMatt Canterino SP — Canterino (shoulder) will be with the Twins in big-league spring training but isn't expected to pitch during camp as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILRyan Jeffers C — Jeffers had the cast and stitches removed from his surgically repaired left hand and has resumed throwing, Matthew Leach of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILCole Sands RP — Sands underwent an MRI on Friday that showed healing in his injured forearm, though inflammation was still present, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILMick Abel SP — Abel (elbow) struck out five and permitted two hits and no walks over three scoreless frames in his first rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.
- Day-To-DayA.J. Vukovich CF — no
- Day-To-DayDerek Law RP — no
- Day-To-DayKyle Amendt RP — Amendt was invited to major-league spring training by the Diamondbacks, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.
- 10-Day-ILJames McCann C — McCann (quadriceps) is expected to begin playing in complex league games next week, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.
- developmental listJuan Centeno C — The Diamondbacks re-assigned Centeno to minor-league camp Friday.
- 60-Day-ILA.J. Puk RP — The Diamondbacks paused Puk's (elbow) rehab Friday due to left shoulder discomfort, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.
- 60-Day-ILCarlos Santana 1B — Santana (thigh) began a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League on Friday, Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports reports.
- 60-Day-ILCorbin Burnes SP — Manager Torey Lovullo said Wednesday that Burnes (elbow) has been shut down from throwing after suffering a teres major strain, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
There's good news creeping in too. Walker Jenkins could begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Fort Myers, and Mick Abel struck out 5 over 3 scoreless in his first Triple-A St. Paul rehab start — a real arm getting close. Arizona is still waiting on Carlos Santana (thigh) and James McCann (quad) to get to complex-league games, so the lineup card stays thin behind the regulars for at least another week.
Saturday is the swing game in a 3-game set. A Twins win and the road trip starts to feel like a turning point for a club that needed one badly. A D-backs response and Arizona stabilizes before the finale, with the rotation reset and a chance to bury the Burnes news under one good homestand. Neither team can afford to drift; the AL Central is still gettable for Minnesota and the NL West isn't pulling away from anybody.