TODAY: Sano has yet to resume baseball activity, Bollinger tweets in the latest update, as the third baseman has continued to receive treatment on his shin.
WEDNESDAY: The Twins are currently 1.5 games up on the Angels for the second Wild Card spot and have a favorable remaining schedule — seven games against the rebuilding Tigers — but they may be without their top slugger over the final 11 games. Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com write that Miguel Sano looks to be running out of time to make a regular-season return.
Sano hasn’t played since fouling a ball into his shin on Aug. 19 — a seemingly innocuous incident that ultimately caused a stress reaction which has prevented him from running without pain. It’s been previously suggested that Sano wouldn’t play third base again this season even if he did return, instead serving as the Twins’ primary DH due to the difficulties that the shin issue could present with his mobility at the hot corner. But, with 11 games remaining, Sano has yet to run the bases, and it’s now a question of whether he will take another at-bat at all.
“My biggest concern now is even if he gets to the point where we get him on the field in any capacity, how much of a challenge is it going to be for him to have any type of timing at all?” manager Paul Molitor said to Twin Cities media. “…It’s hard to speculate until we get to where someone tells me he’s going to give it a shot and he’s got clearance and he feels good enough to be able to run 75 percent and let’s see where we’re at. I don’t know if that’s going to happen.”
Eduardo Escobar has ably filled in for Sano over the past month, moving from a utility role to everyday third baseman and a surprisingly powerful middle-of-the-order bat. In Sano’s absence, the switch-hitting Escobar has batted .248 with just a .297 on-base percentage but a gaudy .530 slugging percentage as well (109 wRC+). Escobar has homered eight times and also chipped in three doubles and three triples with Sano on the shelf.
It remains to be seen whether the Twins would press the issue and try to work Sano back into the lineup for a theoretical Wild Card berth of American League Division Series appearance, should they advance that far. Even with Escobar showing surprising pop at third base, Sano’s absence is a significant blow for a team that is within arm’s reach of its first playoff appearance since the 2010 campaign — the inaugural season of Minneapolis’ Target Field. In 111 games and 475 plate appearances this year, Sano slashed .267/.356/.514 with 28 homers, 15 doubles and a pair of triples — good for a 126 wRC+.
I knew it. Oh well… Rosario is the star now. Sano can go home to New York and hang out with Jay-Z.
Twins may need to consider having a weight clause in any new contract discussions. This guy has a chance of eating himself out of the game like Panda did.
If that was really a big issue to them then they wouldn’t have signed Bartolo Colon
Colon is 44 years old. They have zero concern for him because he is not in the teams future plans.
Not even close to being true about Sano. Do your homework first.
Its most definitely a concern.. If you follow the club at all you’ll know everyone from the front office to the coaching staff to the beat writers have all discussed it in some form or another. Constantly mentioning the importance of a specific players “conditioning” says it all. Fairly sure they won’t come out at say “don’t get too fat”.
Agreed… Sano has gone downhill in his conditioning and focus. He switched agencies to Roc Nation Sports, grew out the dreadlocks, and moved to New York a couple of years ago, so in the offseason instead of working hard in Fort Myers he’s partying it up with Jay-Z and other “entertainers” in Manhattan. The only reason players go with Roc Nation is for their image, endorsements, and popularity, so not only does it guarantee Sano is gone from Minnesota when he’s a free agent, but it also brings into question his conditioning and focus to even get that huge payday someday. Right now, it doesn’t look good for him. You never see him working out before games like other players do (like Eddie Rosario, as an example). Sano really has to turn it around before he becomes another “What Might Have Been” cautionary tale.
Well, to Sano’s credit, he was mashing the ball with his 28 HR’s, and he was getting on base at a great rate.
Overall, with Sano’s solid offensive performance, 126 wRC+, he tremendously helped the Twins get to the point they are at now..
Not to mention, even with Sano having 65 more chances at 3B, he was able to cut his errors down from 15 in 2016 to a much more “palatable” 7 in 2017…lol
Also, I’ve read and heard several Twins’ fans complain about Sano’s lack of discipline involving his weight, his lack of focus on making improvements, etc. BUT, if you just look at Sano’s numbers, he’s dramatically improved in almost every area from 2016 to 2017.
So, whatever Sano did or did not do during the off-season, Twins’ fans cannot argue nor complain about his on the field achievements, nor the extremely valuable impact he had on this Minnesota team…
NOW, I am NOT saying Sano is ultimately problem and drama free, and his weight will not become a problem in the future. It VERY well could become a problem in the future, if he ends up adding more weight over the off-season.
Like I said, if he continues to add weight, he could very well become more injury prone, it would make his defense suffer at 3B, and his issues could even force the Twins to permanently use him as their DH.
Miguel Sano is exponentially more valuable as an asset, if he’s able to play adequate defense at 3B and 1B. Although, if his weight issues do eventually become a factor, it would mainly and truly only hurt Sano himself. IF need be, the Twins have Escobar, and some other options they could play at 3rd, while just making Sano their primary DH.
If Sano is only suitable as a DH, then that would immediately eliminate half of his possible future suitors in Free Agency, or for an eventual trade, and power-hitting DH’s just are not nearly valued as highly as power-hitting third basemen.
Basically, what I am saying is, I would not worry too much if I were a Twins fan. I say this, because even if Sano is a selfish, “me-first” type of guy, then his best interests perfectly line up with the Twins best interests. (Keeping his weight down, and continuing to improve offensively and defensively throughout the off-seasons).
With that being said, I don’t think Sano would risk letting a huge future payday go, by continuously packing on the pounds. If he even gets to the point of becoming a player that’s well-known and labeled as one with weight issues, it will shy away SEVERAL TEAMS and it would greatly hurt his potential earnings power..The reason, see the Pablo Sandoval fiasco..
Ultimately, I think Sano is young, his newfound success and worldwide popularity is relatively new to him and he’s trying to figure hisself out, while enjoying the spotlight. I strongly believe he will eventually buckle down, before his off the field interests and weight issues become an actual serious problem.
@bravesfan88 clearly had a lot of time on his hands since he’s not watching his team in the pennant race
You care to back literally any of this drivel with proof?
For what it’s worth, I like and follow the Twins fairly closely as well…I’m just a fan if baseball in general..
Anyways, even with the Braves out of contention, they still have a great deal of my attention…Since they are out, and ever since rosters have expanded they have implemented a new 6-man rotation of Teheran, Foltynewicz, Dickey, Newcomb, Fried, and Gohara..The tail end of those three, plus the additions of Sims (as a spot starter), Winkler (who is now healthy and having one hell of a run), and Minter (who is possibly their closer of the future with Vizcaino) right now the Braves are fun as hell to watch…Not to mention also with their young, stud rookie second baseman, Ozzy Albies…
So yeah, the Braves are out of it, but they are also showing their fans a small glimpse of the future. And that future, is pretty dang bright!!
If I’m Falvey and Levine, I trade him first chance I get.