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TORONTO -- If only every player on the Minnesota Twins actually had a twin. Maybe that way, there would be enough healthy bodies to fill out the roster.
On Tuesday, first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz became the latest Twin to go down with an injury, hyperextending his lower back as he stretched for a throw at first base.
Mientkiewicz was held out of the lineup for Wednesday's series finale in Toronto and is listed as day-to-day. He was replaced by Jose Offerman.
Half of Minnesota's Opening Day starters join Mientkiewicz on the sidelines. The list includes rookie catcher Joe Mauer (left knee, DL), third baseman Corey Koskie (strained sternum, DL) and outfielder Shannon Stewart (right foot, day-to-day).
But the list of Twins who are out of action doesn't end there. Infielder Nick Punto (strained oblique) and pitcher Joe Mays (right elbow) are both on the disabled list.
Things got so bad for manager Ron Gardenhire in Tuesday's 5-3 loss, he joked that first base coach Jerry White would be at the top of the depth chart in case the bench was completely barren of players.
Asked where he'd put himself on that depth chart, Gardenhire said that he wasn't on it.
"I lost my hamstrings in San Francisco," he quipped.
You can forgive Gardenhire for laughing in the face of injury -- his team remains atop the American League Central with a 23-15 mark heading into a four-game series with the second-place Chicago White Sox.
And there has been some good news on the status of Minnesota's walking wounded. Mauer went 2-for-4 with a home run in an extended Spring Training game on Tuesday. He's scheduled to play DH in both ends of a doubleheader on Wednesday and could catch five innings on Thursday.
Punto will be eligible to come off the disabled list on Monday, while Koskie could be back as early as next Thursday.
Blanco, Prieto start finale: Catcher Henry Blanco took over for Matthew LeCroy in Wednesday's series finale against the Blue Jays. LeCroy had started behind the plate in the first two games of the series. Blanco was in the eighth slot in the order, and Gardenhire said that he would also catch Friday for Carlos Silva because the two have developed a rapport.
Alex Prieto batted ninth and started at second base in place of Luis Rivas, who took a seat despite a six-game hitting streak.
On Tuesday, first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz became the latest Twin to go down with an injury, hyperextending his lower back as he stretched for a throw at first base.
Mientkiewicz was held out of the lineup for Wednesday's series finale in Toronto and is listed as day-to-day. He was replaced by Jose Offerman.
Half of Minnesota's Opening Day starters join Mientkiewicz on the sidelines. The list includes rookie catcher Joe Mauer (left knee, DL), third baseman Corey Koskie (strained sternum, DL) and outfielder Shannon Stewart (right foot, day-to-day).
But the list of Twins who are out of action doesn't end there. Infielder Nick Punto (strained oblique) and pitcher Joe Mays (right elbow) are both on the disabled list.
Things got so bad for manager Ron Gardenhire in Tuesday's 5-3 loss, he joked that first base coach Jerry White would be at the top of the depth chart in case the bench was completely barren of players.
Asked where he'd put himself on that depth chart, Gardenhire said that he wasn't on it.
"I lost my hamstrings in San Francisco," he quipped.
You can forgive Gardenhire for laughing in the face of injury -- his team remains atop the American League Central with a 23-15 mark heading into a four-game series with the second-place Chicago White Sox.
And there has been some good news on the status of Minnesota's walking wounded. Mauer went 2-for-4 with a home run in an extended Spring Training game on Tuesday. He's scheduled to play DH in both ends of a doubleheader on Wednesday and could catch five innings on Thursday.
Punto will be eligible to come off the disabled list on Monday, while Koskie could be back as early as next Thursday.
Blanco, Prieto start finale: Catcher Henry Blanco took over for Matthew LeCroy in Wednesday's series finale against the Blue Jays. LeCroy had started behind the plate in the first two games of the series. Blanco was in the eighth slot in the order, and Gardenhire said that he would also catch Friday for Carlos Silva because the two have developed a rapport.
Alex Prieto batted ninth and started at second base in place of Luis Rivas, who took a seat despite a six-game hitting streak.