Twins third baseman Miguel Sano will not be prepared for Opening Day and could miss the first month of the season, chief baseball officer Derek Falvey told reporters including Phil Miller of the Star Tribune (via Twitter) and Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (Twitter link).
A cut on Sano’s foot has kept him out of action throughout camp. That injury, sustained during a celebration of a Dominican Winter League title, required a second debridement procedure to clean up the wound.
Clearly, this is not how the organization expected things to proceed when Sano showed up to camp in noticeably excellent shape. The hope then was that the cut would heal up quickly, allowing him to get back to work in search of redemption following a miserable 2018 season.
Sano, who’s earning $2.65MM in the first of three seasons of arbitration eligibility, has at times seemed primed to be one of the game’s best sluggers and is still a month shy of his 26th birthday. Injuries and inconsistencies have plagued his career, though, and he has yet to reach five hundred plate appearances in a single MLB season.
The Twins recently inked Marwin Gonzalez to function as a heavily-used utility player. He’ll presumably be the top option at the hot corner to begin his tenure in Minnesota. The fascinating Willians Astudillo could also see an expanded role to open the year.
Guess we know where Marwin will go
Yeah the Twins.
He is already signed.
I think they meant the position he would be playing,,,
No surprise here. Dude is always hurt.
Twins need to move on from this guy now .. Some things/guys never change . There will always be issues/excuses/injuries with Sano …
Well…that’s a bummer.
So many injuries
Yeah but everything other than the one foot is in the best shape of his life.
He can be in the best shape of his life n still be in bad shape. Jus sayin.
Don’t ever say “Just sayin'” again! It’s been done, it’s over, move on, please!
Yeah, just ask Pablo Sandoval, Prince Fielder, Bartolo Colon, Matt Albers, Jonathan Broxton and CC Sabathia.
Think that’s the first #BSOHL comment I’ve seen so far this spring training.
Sneaky injury
a cut that requires tissue to be taken out. he must have good really sauced then tripped or something
He got cut and stitched up over two weeks ago. I wonder what kind of doctors they have on staff that they end up going two weeks and then having to go scrape out the wound–which sounded like a simple horizontal ‘slice’ . Really?? It’s pretty easy to see if a cut is healing properly or not..
The Twins are just coming out of the Barber/Surgeon era… They will now use leaches to cleanse his blood. Should be good to go by the All-Star break.
Good thing he was wearing his Bill Holden drinking helmet.
He was cut during winter league celebration.
On the field. Not at a party, which I would think some presume.
Ain’t no party like a winter league party.
The guy has a rod in his leg and never met a meal he didn’t like. It’s not surprising.
.
Oh the value of Marwin Gonzales. And it’s not like they have to replace Brooks Robinson at third.
Let’s hope that all crap he is going to get about this incident (along with his questionable work ethic of the past) helps to wake him up and get him thinking about baseball. Let’s also hope he doesn’t gain a bunch of weight waiting for his foot to heal.
I imagine they are going to be monitoring him very closely. As far as the laceration on his heel, that appears to be a bit of a freak accident when someone cleated him while celebrating in the clubhouse after winning the winter league championship. I’m not sure how much of that you can put on Sano. I just hope that he is able to work his way back and this won’t be a nagging thing like we had with Santana last year.
nh_55……..
Actually, he fell down some metal stairs after someone accidentally pushed him and it happened a few days after the win.
startribune.com/miguel-sano-clarifies-how-he-hurt-…
Oh wow, I totally missed that piece. Hmm that is a bit of a different situation then.
I did not know that. Thank you for posting the link.
Sounds completely believable…. Sano will never learn.
This guy is a disaster area. I would not even think about an extension. I would and should have been listening to any trade offers. Of course, he would have to get healthy AND produce before the trade offers became close to realistic.
Say it ain’t Sano
fail
Anyone else think it said Miguel Greinke?
Nearly jumped out of my socks!!!
Trading for Machado?
Am I the only one who wants to know specifics on how he injured his foot?
I linked to an article on that.
I didn’t click on “sustained” – didn’t know that it would link to the Star Trib article.
Well, you linked an article with a canned explanation anyway, haha.
What a bust.
Career .813 OPS over 381 games and 5.0 bWAR is not a bust. Mike Olt is a bust.
Whew. The guy seems to be cursed.
That Marwin Gonzalez signing is looking even better now. And now I feel pretty confident that Willians Astudillo will be making the opening season roster.
Willians should have been given an everyday job from the jumpoff and they should have never signed Marwin in the first place.
He’ll be “cursed” until he moves to the east coast.
He’s had some bad misfortune, made some bad decisions, and had some questionable work ethic — all coming to a head before his 26th birthday. Sounds like every 26 year old. Let’s not jump all over him yet. There is hope for Miguel Sano. He’ll come around. And if he doesn’t, it honestly wasn’t meant to be. Not everyone playing baseball is a baseball player at heart.
Tipsy McStagger – perfect analysis. You definitely aren’t passive aggressively getting your inner racism out over a non-white player like Gordon Lightfoot is.
Questionable work ethic?? How about NO work ethic………Only thing he works hard at is the buffet.
Now sure what the bad luck was? The TJ surgery in the low minor leagues? In any case, Sano’s work ethic and irresponsible behavior sums everything else up.
Sano needs to get his act together – grow up and start looking after yourself, sir.
While I think you are a great singer-songwriter, Gordon, you are no one to tell another how to act and live. You’ve been married three times and fully admit that you are lucky to be alive after your drug and alcohol binges in the 70s (which would be right around Sano’s age and beyond).
Oh, I didn’t think that was you Gordon. It seemed out of character. So, who’s the really poor impersonator?
Tipsy, while I appreciate the long winded attempt at whatever that was supppsed to be, Sano is overweight (yes, that is a problem and no, it’s not offensive to state same), was recently involved in a serious sexual harassment accusation, and is incapable of tending to a cut on his foot incurred during a “celebration” – as I said, time to grow up. Be accountable.
“Cutting the kid” some slack, Bob, is a lazy excuse. Sano is a pro ballplayer – grow up.
Yeah sure old man, you were totally professional at 25 years old, and this isnt some hidden-level racism here.
YOU grow up.
Racism? Ha! Good lord, man, that’s a bit of a leap. You’re a quick draw with that victim card.
Boy… this conversation of obvious observations and bad puns is sinking faster than the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Really Gordon? You’re playing dumb right now. It is a little insulting. I guess I have to spell it out. I was using your avatar and user name to make a point — that young people do a lot of stupid things, have a lot of distractions, and aren’t the best at handling pressure. Gordon Lightfoot had huge alcohol and drug issues, of which admits he is surprised he is still alive. And you know what? Despite those youthful follies, Gordon turned out to be a pretty darn successful and important person. As Bob Dylan said, cut the guy some slack. It took Gordon Lightfoot over 40 years to grow up.
… now I must end the dumbest thread of comments I’ve yet been involved with on MLBTR because I’m an uncaring racist that needs to be more supportive of Miguel Sano because Gordon Lightfoot used to drink too much. I see. Have a nice night, Tipsy.
You get it!!
Goodnight fake Gordon Lightfoot. I wish the real one would come in and make a comment. He’d be less of a hypocrite. And no, fake Gordon, he didn’t just “drink too much.” Stop selling him short. You’re the fan. Real Gordon had a huge drinking AND drug problem during his follies of youth. I can show you an article where he almost died in a hospital because of it.
Gordon, Tipsy, Strike —
Are you all the same person? This has to be one of the strangest and somehow compelling threads I have seen in some time. I love how Gordon’s username was used against him to make a point. I don’t know if that is a first, but it is interesting. And it was done very well.
I have to say that Tipsy makes a good point. While we all expect for Sano to grow up a bit and take things a little more seriously, Tipsy is correct that there a combination of youthful folly, bad luck, bad choices (especially that harassment allegation — whew that was stupid), and a brain that hasn’t quite fully developed yet that just slapped Sano in the face. In other words, cut him a little slack. I would be willing to wager that you (Gordon) didn’t jump all over the real Mr. Lightfoot when he almost died in a hospital from his poor choices.
Sano has a season ahead of him to show us what he’s got. Rather than make judgments now, hold on to them for a later date. Otherwise, they just sound like projections.
Did you just ask yourself if you were Gordon Lightfoot?
… this is insane!! Hilarious. I’m being accused of impersonating Gordon Lightfoot, being racist, a hypocrite and all because Tipsy McLightfoot continues to insist I know nothing of the tragic, non-baseball related past of the ol’ Bard of Rosedale – all as a result of questioning Miguel Sano’s maturity. Amazing!! What a spectacular route to lunacy!! Truly, I’m impressed. Thanks for sharing the most bizarre bit of reasoning I’ve encountered in quite a while – it’s good to end one’s day with a laugh. Appreciated. Goodnight all!
Dear Gordon Lightfoot,
This comment serves as documentation of a pattern of impersonation that began on 12/23/2016. This comment serves as notice for you to immediately cease and desist these impersonating activities and actions on your behalf against and towards me, but not limited to the following:
Making comments as Gordon Lightfoot on the following websites: MLB Trade Rumors, Breitbart, Earth First Newswire, GQ, Endless Pug Love, Bouncy Bouncy Cats, and others.
Impersonating Gordon Lightfoot in a grocery store while purchasing broccoli and stevia.
Impersonating Gordon Lightfoot on youtube while making bad Canadian jokes (Did you hear the joke about the guy who tattooed the map of Canada on his bum? Every time he sits down, Quebec separates.)
Your actions are unwanted, unwelcomed, and have become unbearable to me. I have suffered immeasurable emotional distress due to your actions. I have one request that may help discard this cease and desist letter: apologize to Miguel Sano.
If you fail to comply with my request, I will be forced to take further legal action.
Sincerely,
The Real Gordon Lightfoot
(Real) Gordon Lightfoot — If that is really you, I need proof. Gordon Lightfoot turned out to be a folly, a mere impersonator of a folk hero. How do we know that you are who you say you are? And I take issue with your cease and desist “letter.” Not only is it full of grammatical errors, making it subpar to an even basic boilerplate material, but it is a clearcut mockery of first amendment rights.
If faux Gordon Lightfoot wants to sully your good name, you must realize you have no good name to sully. You were a drunk, sir. You were addicted to various narcotics, sir. You were a carouser of women, sir. You let me down. You disappointed me. You should have grown up faster. Team America and Team Baby Boom needed you to become a responsible adult at the age of 26. You failed us. You let the good people of Columbia Records down. You let me down. You destroyed my marriage. If you had just grown up at a younger age, I could have turned into someone different, someone more than simply Tipsy McStagger. I could have been somebody!
I don’t know how much of Sano’s “training” and “injury” are sneaky ways to suspend him for molesting the photographer.
I love ya man. But cut the kid some slack.
Wow. For a guy that most people thought would be the next big superstar, he is heading toward Non Tender Land in 2020. Sano is quickly becoming a Mike Olt-level bust.
Now I know why the Twins signed Marwin.
=============
AAAANNND I just read the article on how he cut his foot. What a Grade-A moron. At least it didn’t happen in the parking lot of an Apple store.
Mike Olt-level? RELAX. Sano has 2 out of 4 seasons where he had 2+ WAR and STILL has a .813 career OPS which is FAR above average.
Mike Olt’s career OPS is .580.
You need to either lay off the hyperbole, or just stop talking about baseball for a while, because that is the most clueless comment I’ve ever seen on here.
Strike Four, Miguel Sano is absolutely a non-tender candidate this year. If he performs like he has since mid 2017, he’s done.
You gotta wash your feet.
This is nonsense and has got to stop! Last year Santana screwed up his entire season by delaying surgery. Sano’s shin surgery before last season was handled poorly and came into ST unprepared and blimp-like. Seriously, Sano’s sister is his diet advisor? Does she have any qualifications? Polanco missed half the season with the suspension. Dozier, Reed and Morrison were injured all year and couldn’t do squat. Buxton seems perpetually injured. The Twins need to be more proactive in treating these injuries during the offseason and the players need to use some common sense so they can play and fulfill their contracts. This is a disturbing trend.
Every fan base says this about their team… but, it does seem like the Twins are the strained oblique capital of the western world sometimes.
WILLIANS ASTUDILLO IS FREE!!!!!
BTW why isn’t every “old school” fan like the BIGGEST fan of this guy who literally never ever strikes out?
He had 3 (!) strikeouts in 29 MLB games last year and 81 strikeouts over 638 (!!!!!) minor league games in his career – he’s CLEARLY the second coming of Yogi Berra, but he isn’t getting the support for some reason….
…oh wait, I think I know the reason….and it’s skin color-related, only possible reason…smh…
Or playing time related. Casual Twins fans might not even know he’s on the team let alone baseball fans that don’t really care about the Twins.
He was on folk hero status most of those couple months he was up though. He’s one of those guys who literally has done everything to deserve a chance and he has a profile like no other, so it even furthers his case. He might be be the next Tony Gwynn but they refuse to think another Tony Gwynn will ever exist.
Honestly if the Twins aren’t even going to give him an everyday role but instead get a guy like Marwin who is similar minus being a catcher, then they need to trade him to someone who will. No one deserves 130+ games more than Willians.
Please stop… Astudillos numbers aren’t remotely sustainable and he can’t play infield defense well enough to give him starts on a team trying to win.
He’s another Danny Santana, Chris Parmelee, Kennys Vargas flash in the pan type.
I think Vargas deserved more of a chance, actually…
He’s the same skin color of the majority MLB player, but obviously it’s race driven. Lol. People like you make real race issues get ignored because of idiotic theories like this. SMH.
As is everything to you it seems.
A cut? Wow this guy is soft. Should open up a soft pretzel stand on 3rd base side. Hear I thought sano was gonna be a perennial all star for the twins.
But the cut turned into a wound and now there is a ghoulie living inside. Those ghoulies are difficult to remove from the body. They may have to perform an exorcism. Wait, what website is this?
Trade Sano to the Mets.
Sano will probably stop being constantly injured as soon as he signs with a higher-profile “prestige” team.
Sano is looking like Andruw Jones. He comes from a back ground as a dirt poor Dominican kid. He has come into more money than he ever imagined and lacks the direction and focus to work hard to improve as a professional athlete. He needs good orderly direction to take advantage of his talent and the opportunity to succeed, but he has to start now.
This guy is made of glass. Greg Oden of MLB