Twins, Alex Kirilloff Dodge Major Bullet During Shoulder Surgery

It would be fun to watch a healthy Kirilloff. Here's hoping.

1 hour ago, LastOnePicked said:

Thank (insert your chosen force/power/creator-of-fate here)! Good to hear. Thanks for the update. Any chance we can get some Buxton and Lewis body miracles this offseason, too?

Not pressing my luck. Just asking. 😀

Lewis finished healthy, not sure where you're going here...

It's really good news for both the Twins and for Kirilloff. Much more likely that we don't need to invest significant resources in 1B depth in the off-season and can stay focused on improving the rotation, strengthening the bullpen, and ensuring that we're covered in CF.

Kirilloff has hit when he's been healthy. It looks like they've finally solved the wrist problem through the Kirk Gibson surgery he had done last season, and this shoulder issue was relatively minor. His history means the Twins have to be prepared for him potentially missing time during the season, but we also have good internal options to support in Julien, Miranda, and Severino to provide depth.

There's few bench spots available on this roster because the Twins will carry 13 pitchers (even when their starters are going long enough consistently enough that that last man in the bullpen doesn't pitch more than once a week at best), so there's only room for 4 bench jobs, and 1 goes to a backup catcher (Vazquez), 1 goes to a backup SS/INF (Castro/Farmer), 1 goes to a 4th OF who can play CF (Taylor again?), so there's not a lot of space for anyone else.

I reserve judgment.  Let's see him play a full season before celebrating his health.  Yes, it is great that this was less serious, but the fact that he has had a career in minors and majors that has a yearly health issue comes too close to the Buxton Syndrome.  

1 hour ago, saviking said:

This is great news from the standpoint we don't go out and sign someone for :{in the event he's not ready} like we did last year .. The Twins have trouble deciding to cut a veteran once they sign him, like you know who, last year.

Well, they DEFINITELY held onto "he who must not be named" far too long; that said, they also held onto Kepler and Pagan who many of us (self included) felt should be long gone.  

Great news. let's hope this is the end of his issues for awhile.

6 hours ago, Lucas Seehafer PT said:

I went to school for healthcare, not math!

I totally get and respect that 😆.

My son has switched his major from Engineering to Biology so that he too can pursue Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy.  He wasn't a big fan of all the extra math.

7 hours ago, miracleb said:

HUH?  It was iffy if Lewis was even going to be on the playoff roster against Toronto.......

Looked pretty healthy against Houston....