Cole Sands Hits Twins' Injured List With Strained Forearm

[Steve Drumwright]

 

The Minnesota Twins have lost one of their bullpen stalwarts to an injury.

Right-hander Cole Sands was put on the 15-day injured list by the Twins on Saturday due to a strained right forearm. Right-hander John Klein was called up from Triple-A St. Paul to make his MLB debut.

We have made the following roster moves:

[image or embed]

— Minnesota Twins (@twinsbaseball.bsky.social) May 2, 2026 at 8:00 AM

Sands made 131 appearances out of the Twins' bullpen the last two seasons and had made 12 in 2026. In 11⅔ innings, he had a 4.63 ERA with six runs on 12 hits with four walks and 11 strikeouts. He last appeared in a game Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners, giving up two runs on three hits, including a homer, in two-thirds of an inning. He came on with one on and one out in the eighth and gave up a double to Julio Rodriguez and a three-run homer to Josh Naylor, turning a 2-1 Twins deficit into a 5-1 disadvantage.

Klein had made seven appearances, six starts, at St. Paul this year. He had a 7.48 ERA in 21⅔ innings, walking six and striking out 24. Klein signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022.

 

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[stringer bell]

I don’t like to hear “forearm strain”. It sounds like precursor to a more serious problem. 

[LewFordLives]

Not that Sands has been great, but his loss is definitely a blow to a bullpen that really doesn't have any reliable arms.

[darwin22]

1 hour ago, LewFordLives said:

Not that Sands has been great, but his loss is definitely a blow to a bullpen that really doesn't have any reliable arms.

After today's bullpen implosion--Garcia and Banda---getting rocked---is there any reason why further moves aren't coming?  Not to say there's much in SP (Brebbia and Drew Smith), but would like to see Rojas recalled tomorrow with Garcia and Banda getting released.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

Without Sands, I think you can reasonably state the Twins do not currently have an MLB reliever in their bullpen. Maybe Topa if you squint enough but even that is being generous.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

And I think what really stands out is that this team's starting pitching is good enough where if you had even a competent or mediocre bullpen, the Twins are .500 right now. What was done at the deadline last year continues to be a gut punch.

[David HK]

Another pedestrian from the BP steps into the crosswalk. 

Feel bad for Cole the person, but can't give a fart for the effect on the team. This BP is such a crime it really doesn't matter who goes down, they're all the same: bad 

[mickster]

On 5/2/2026 at 4:56 PM, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

And I think what really stands out is that this team's starting pitching is good enough where if you had even a competent or mediocre bullpen, the Twins are .500 right now. What was done at the deadline last year continues to be a gut punch.

yes

and they may need so sign arms for depth.    I would still like to see Koepech signed, if nothing more then to possibly be an asset to flip at the deadline.

On 5/2/2026 at 4:56 PM, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

And I think what really stands out is that this team's starting pitching is good enough where if you had even a competent or mediocre bullpen, the Twins are .500 right now. What was done at the deadline last year continues to be a gut punch.

 

[lecroy24fan]

On 5/2/2026 at 4:55 PM, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Without Sands, I think you can reasonably state the Twins do not currently have an MLB reliever in their bullpen. Maybe Topa if you squint enough but even that is being generous.

I'd say Funderburk before Topa.

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

2 hours ago, lecroy24fan said:

I'd say Funderburk before Topa.

Yeah, you're right. I forgot Fundy.

[Vanimal46]

18 minutes ago, Twins_Fan_in_NJ said:

Yeah, you're right. I forgot Fundy.

Anyone of our bullpen arms probably ranks between 6 to ?? on the priority list of relievers for most teams. We need someone to rank in the top 2 and that's a literal dart throw right now for Shelton to choose. He's defaulted to vets like Rogers/Banda/Topa and they're all showing they're not that guy in the group. 

[Twins_Fan_in_NJ]

23 minutes ago, Vanimal46 said:

Anyone of our bullpen arms probably ranks between 6 to ?? on the priority list of relievers for most teams. We need someone to rank in the top 2 and that's a literal dart throw right now for Shelton to choose. He's defaulted to vets like Rogers/Banda/Topa and they're all showing they're not that guy in the group. 

Those guys pour kerosene on the fire.