The Twins have whittled their magic number down to 3, are on the doorstep of a division title and looking to host a home wildcard playoff series.
But not everything is rosy in the confines of Target Field, as concerns grow regarding injuries in the everyday lineup.
Shortstop and team leader Carlos Correa left Monday's game against Cincinnati in the second inning after making a sudden stop to catch TJ Friedl’s popup in short left field. Correa, a two-time All-Star, has been dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot since May and fighting off flare-ups to stay in the lineup.
On Wednesday morning the club announced that Correa would be placed on the 10-Day Injured List retroactive to Sept. 19. Outfielder Trevor Larnach has been recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to fill his roster spot.
As concerning is the status of up-and-coming star Royce Lewis, who has been an offensive juggernaut as of late. He left Tuesday night's game against the Reds with a hamstring issue that is described as "day to day."
Lewis originally suffered the injury while beating out a grounder early in the game, bench coach and interim manager Jayce Tingler said. He appeared to pull up a bit later while running out a double-play ball, but he stayed in the game until aggravating the injury with an awkward swing in the eighth.
“We'll see how he responds," Tingler explained. "He didn't say much about it.”
Lewis went 1-for-3 in Minnesota's 7-0 win Tuesday. He is hitting .309 with 15 home runs and 52 runs batted in and has set the Twins' single-season record with four grand slams. The mark also ties the major league record for most grand slams by a rookie.
While he is prolific when in the lineup, Lewis has a concerning history with injuries. He has torn the ACL ligament in his right knee twice since being drafted by the Twins.
Tingler, who is subbing for Twins manager Rocco Baldelli (on leave for the birth of twins), will be missing the entire left side of his infield with both Correa and Lewis out for the immediate future. The hope is that versatile fielders like Kyle Farmer, Jorge Polanco, Edouard Julien, Willi Castro and Donovan Solano can hold down the fort short-term until Lewis and Correa return.
The Twins have a getaway game with the Reds at 11:35 a.m. Wednesday before a much-needed Thursday off. They return home for a series against the Angels starting Friday.
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