Along with a series of unfortunate bullpen issues last night, the Twins also reported that Alex Kirilloff was experiencing discomfort with his wrist, which kept him out of the lineup last night, and may ultimately keep him out even longer. He’s had problems with the wrist in the past, and there is concern that they have flared up.
It comes at a most inopportune time for the Twins prospect. After a poor spring, and going hitless in his first 5 games, he has been on an 8 game hitting streak, and raised his average up to .227. In the last 8 games, his average was .321 with 4 home runs and 11 RBI.
It’s probably not accurate to say that Kirilloff alone helped pull the Twins out of their tailspin, his offense certainly helped, particularly in the biggest offensive outbursts the team had during a stretch of winning 4 out of 5. The bigger concern is for Kirilloff himself.
As a young player gaining confidence and developing his skills, going an entire year without a real season, followed by a bumpy spring, an injury now comes at the worst time. His natural talent was finally being expressed and Kirilloff was getting comfortable with Major League pitching.
The hope is that he can come back quickly from whatever is bothering him. Fortunately, if he his out for a longer stretch, there will be an opportunity to rehab in a competitive environment this year, and it will be right down the road. The Minor League season began last night, and the St. Paul Saints will welcome Kirilloff if he needs to work things out before returning to the Major League roster.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
