Miguel Sano won't be in the Minnesota Twins' starting lineup Wednesday when they host the Detroit Tigers at Target Field, but manager Paul Molitor isn't ruling out a return before the regular season comes to an end this weekend.
Sano has been sidelined since suffering a left knee injury earlier this month at Houston. The injury was originally diagnosed as a bruised leg and an MRI showed no structural damage to the knee, which he had surgically repaired in November.
He's made progress in his recovery but still isn't 100 percent, so the Twins have been taking a patient approach with their third baseman.
"With Miggy still not symptom-free from some of the things that are concerning, we're just going to continue to address that the best that we can," Molitor said. "I'm not giving up."
The Twins will be without left fielder Eddie Rosario for the rest of the year while Mitch Garver has yet to be cleared after suffering a concussion. When he does return, the Twins won't use him at catcher but hope to get him some at-bats off the bench or as the designated hitter.
Right-hander Jake Odorizzi (7-10, 4.35 ERA) gets the start Wednesday. He's pitched well over the last few weeks, posting a 3.83 ERA over his last nine starts, including a two-run effort against Detroit his last time out. He needed 84 pitches to get through six innings.
"It's not ideal to have them your last couple games of the season," Odorizzi said of his string of good starts. "You prefer to have it to build on during the season. Nevertheless, I'm not going to get too picky. I'm just glad it's happening now.
"Getting early-count outs, executing pitches early, that's the big thing. Getting early-count outs, that's how you get deep in the game. Not trying to waste pitches. Just going after guys."
Odorizzi is 3-1 with a 3.15 ERA in seven career starts against the Tigers, including 1-0, 4.41 in three starts this season. Detroit's Nicholas Castellano, who is batting .301 with 22 home runs and 87 RBIs -- all team highs -- is 3-for-16 with four walks and four strikeouts versus Odorizzi.
The Tigers counter with left-hander Matthew Boyd (9-12). He is looking to bounce back after surrendering five runs (two earned) and six hits, including a pair of home runs over 1 1/3 innings in his last outing -- his shortest start in two years.
"Gardy definitely made the right move getting me out of there," Boyd said. "I just didn't have anything out there."
Boyd has a 4.16 ERA in a team-leading 30 starts for Detroit this season but he's struggled on the road this season, going 3-9 with a 5.52 ERA away from Comerica Park, including a pair of losses in two starts at Minnesota.
He is 6-4 with a 3.93 ERA in 15 career starts versus Minnesota, including 1-2, 4.80 in four turns this season. Robbie Grossman is 6-for-23 with two home runs and seven walks versus Boyd.
