Minnesota reached the goal it set when its young shortstop got hurt, and now he gets one last look before the offseason.
The Minnesota Twins have two games left in their season, and shortstop Kaelen Culpepper is back for both of them.
The Twins activated Culpepper from the 10-day injured list on Saturday, according to the official MLB transaction log, ending a stay that started on Sept. 16 with a mild left hamstring strain.
The Plan Worked for Culpepper
Culpepper hurt the hamstring in a Tuesday night loss to the New York Yankees on Sept. 15 and had an MRI the next morning.
The Twins called it mild and wanted to keep him from pushing it and making it worse, and manager Derek Shelton said the club was aiming for a late return, according to MLB.com.
"But the goal we've had for him, because it is a mild strain, is to see if the last two games are available," Shelton said.
It played out just like that.
MLB.com's injury tracker said on Friday that Culpepper went through a full workout and the club was hopeful he could be activated, and NBC Sports reported early Saturday that he was likely to return.
Outfielder Trevor Larnach, who is out with a left wrist sprain, has also been hitting and has not been ruled out, according to the MLB.com tracker.
Why Two Games Still Mean Something
Two games might not sound like much for a team that is 76-84 and out of the playoff race, but this is worth doing for Culpepper.
The Twins drafted him in the first round in 2024 out of Kansas State, and he made his emotional big-league debut on Aug. 7.
He is hitting .275 with a .333 on-base percentage, three home runs and 11 RBI in 31 games.
Those numbers are solid for a first look, and Shelton has liked what he has seen from him.
Ending the season on the field instead of on the injured list lets Culpepper go into the winter knowing his body held up, and it gives the Twins one more look at him before they plan for 2027.
The Twins should still be smart about it, because a hamstring can flare up again and the Twins have nothing to gain in the standings this weekend, so there is no reason to push him through anything more than a normal workload.
If he looks good, though, these two games can send him into the offseason with some confidence.
Minnesota Won Big on Friday
The Twins beat the Texas Rangers 10-2 on Friday night at Target Field, with right fielder Luke Keaschall going 4-for-5 with a triple, a double and three RBI.
Second baseman Kody Clemens hit a two-run homer, his 27th, in the sixth inning.
Infielders Ben Ross and Ryan Kreidler shared the starts at shortstop after Culpepper went on the injured list, and Kreidler scored twice with an RBI on Friday.
With Culpepper back, the Twins have their rookie available at short again.
Starter Bailey Ober faces Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi on Saturday afternoon, and the season ends with Sunday's finale.
Those two games will not change the standings for Minnesota, but seeing Culpepper back at shortstop gives the Twins a good reason to feel better heading into the offseason.
