The Minnesota Twins announced a disappointing Mick Abel injury update on Monday.
The Minnesota Twins made an unfortunate injury announcement on Monday as the organization has continued to be deal with setbacks in April.
After dropping four straight games, including a home sweep by the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend, the Twins continue to search for stability in their starting rotation. And now one of their most promising young arms will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
The Twins announced on Monday right-hander Mick Abel has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his right elbow.
The timing is difficult for Minnesota, which has relied heavily on Abel early in the season. The 24-year-old right-hander earned a rotation spot out of spring training after a dominant Grapefruit League showing and had begun to settle in after a shaky start.
Abel was acquired at last year's deadline from the Philadelphia Phillies in the trade that sent All-Star closer Jhoan Duran to Philadelphia, and the Twins viewed him as a long-term rotation piece with frontline potential ever since.
Abel’s early results reflected that upside. He currently owns a 3.98 ERA through 20 1/3 innings and had begun to look like the pitcher Minnesota hoped it was acquiring, a young, controllable arm capable of stabilizing the rotation.
Now, the Twins will have to adjust. With Abel sidelined, Minnesota will move right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson up in the rotation to start in his place on Tuesday.
The club is also expected to bring in additional pitching depth, with prospect Kendry Rojas set to join the roster in place of Abel. The Twins have several internal options, including Rojas and Zebby Matthews, though Matthews has struggled in Triple-A and may not be the immediate answer to fill in.
Abel’s injury is especially frustrating given the Twins current rotation picture. Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley, Bailey Ober and Woods Richardson remain locked into spots, but the club has already dealt with injuries and inconsistency throughout April.
Losing Abel, even temporarily, adds another challenge for a team trying to stay afloat in the AL Central. Minnesota briefly held sole possession of first place in the division last week.
It is not yet clear how long Abel will be out. His IL stint is retroactive to April 17, meaning the earliest he can return is May 2 if the inflammation subsides quickly. The Twins are expected to provide further clarity when manager Derek Shelton meets with reporters before Tuesday’s series opener against the Mets.
For now, Minnesota can only hope the setback is minor, because Abel had begun to look like a key piece of their future.