MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday because of a ruptured tendon in his left wrist, but the team is optimistic about his eventual return.
Cruz was injured on a swing Thursday night in a 7-5 loss to Cleveland that cut Minnesota's American League Central lead to a single game. Tests revealed a rupture of the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon, but Cruz reported feeling no pain in the wrist when he arrived at Target Field on Friday.
"I can grab the bat," Cruz said. "It feels good. Monday, I'm going to go to New York and see a specialist. We've got to go from there. But it looks as if it'll be good in 10 days."
Cruz has been a major piece in the Twins' resurgence this season, hitting .294 with 32 home runs and 76 RBIs while being a steadying influence on the team's younger players. He leads the majors with 16 home runs since the All-Star break.
It turns out, the team got a bit of good news about the injury from a former player. Justin Morneau, the former MVP first baseman and currently a team broadcaster, said he had the injury in 2012 and played the rest of the season.
"To be fair to everyone, everyone deals with it differently, though," manager Rocco Baldelli said. "There are some people, when it ruptures, that's not a good scenario at all. And there are some people, so I've heard, like that — like (Morneau) — who have dealt with it and it actually felt somewhat better or a lot better."
Morneau said the rupture actually relieved pain. He said he played the rest of his career without surgery on the tendon.
A long absence was feared after Thursday's game, but Cruz said he even took swings on Friday.
"The way it feels today is really good," Cruz said. "It's a miracle that it feels like that."
Minnesota recalled right-handed reliever Cody Stashak from Triple-A Rochester.
