April 13: The Twins have made this official today, selecting Garlick and moving Celestino to the 60-day IL. A spot on the active roster was opened by placing Farmer on the 10-day IL with a facial laceration. The club’s communications director Dustin Morse relayed last night on Twitter that Farmer had successful surgery on his lower lip and bottom four teeth.
April 12: The Twins are expected to select Kyle Garlick onto the big league roster, tweets Dan Hayes of the Athletic. Doing so would require a 40-man roster spot, which Hayes indicates would likely be achieved by transferring Gilberto Celestino from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.
Garlick has appeared at the big league level for Minnesota in each of the past two seasons. He’s combined for a .233/.283/.446 line in 269 plate appearances over that stretch. Garlick has popped 14 home runs in less than half a season’s worth of playing time, though his on-base percentage has been deflated by few walks and a strikeout rate pushing 30%.
The right-handed hitter has gotten nearly equal run in his career against left and right-handed pitching alike. He’s been far more productive with the platoon advantage, hitting .251/.301/.538 against southpaws but limping to a .203/.258/.324 line against righties. The 31-year-old is best deployed in the lesser half of a corner outfield platoon, where his power against left-handed pitching has played.
Minnesota and Garlick agreed to $750K contract at the start of the offseason to avoid arbitration. The Twins nevertheless ran him through waivers over the winter, though he accepted a minor league assignment to hold onto that guaranteed salary. He’s picked up eight hits (including two homers and a double) over seven games this year with Triple-A St. Paul.
The Twins could find themselves down a right-handed bat in the next couple weeks. Utilityman Kyle Farmer was hit in the face by a Lucas Giolito offering during this afternoon’s win over the White Sox. He walked off the field with a towel pressed up against his face. Hayes notes that initial indications are that Farmer fortunately avoided a fractured jaw, though he has a laceration around his mouth. It seems likely he’ll require a stint on the 10-day IL.
Celestino, meanwhile, underwent thumb surgery during Spring Training. That initially came with a recovery timetable in the six to eight week range. Celestino lost most of exhibition play and will have to work back into game shape. A transfer to the 60-day IL could be backdated to Opening Day and would keep him out until at least late May.
DCartrow
It’s about thyme!!
Paul Griggs
The Twins will ‘lick the Yankees in the upcoming series!
CaptainJudge99
This sounds like a recipe for a disaster
Jacksson13
Giolito should be suspended immediately. He should remain suspended for the same amount of time that Farmer is out and until he is able to perform at MLB level. This antiquated, discriminatory practice of only the team suffering a lost time injury due to the opposing club’s pitcher hitting a batter with a thrown ball is absolute BS. All the White Sox have to do is say, “I’m Sorry”, shrug their shoulders and say, “It’s just part of the game. High time to end this farcical conduct by MLB with respect to the top dozen or so pitchers on a team’s MLB roster. The White Sox should experience pain and consequences to match what Farmer is experiencing through no fault of his own. DO SOMETHING MLB !!!
Steinbrenner2728
I thought you weren’t going to watch baseball anymore from last season’s lockout, based on your comments in those lockout rumor articles… I thought for a second we would be saved from your puns, too.
Jacksson13
And I have not watched it.
But I do look at box scores on mlb.com
And I do read MLBTR, PFR, and occasionally HR.
terrymesmer
Skip your nap today?
Jacksson13
As a matter of fact, I DID !!
cbraves
That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.
LordD99
Yawn.
Paul Griggs
You didn’t watch the game did you? This wasn’t an intentional act and Giolito and the White Sox were visibly upset about it. He did nothing to warrant a suspension. Later in the game, one of the Twins relief pitchers threw one high and inside and the ball went to the backstop. I think that was a slip and nobody seemed to be upset about it being a retaliatory pitch. MLB pitchers can and should throw inside. If there’s any gripe, it should be whether the pitch clocks are causing pitchers to be wilder–so far, I’d say no but I haven’t looked closely.
DCartrow
Yes, even today I hear that Giolito’s down in the mouth about it.
acoss13
Can’t tell if you’re being serious. That wasn’t intentional. Maybe watch the play?
vtadave
He doesn’t actually watch the games.
tstats
This comment happens every year on the first bad hbp of the year. It sucks but everyone knows the risk of stepping to a plate with a guy throwing a 95 rock into a square in front of you
acoss13
I get it yeah, even Giolito’s reaction was telling that he didn’t want to hit Farmer.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Garlick is stinky
Jesse Chavez enthusiast
I heard his cousin Ryan onionsucker swings a mean bar too!
Lindsey Hill
Now they are invincible against vampires.
dcftw
Can you imagine this guy on the same team as Mike Trout? Might as well go out and get Timmy Lemon and John Butter and you got yourself a meal.
slowcurve
All the vampires in the MLB corporate office hate this development.
zbock
That’s not how you use “meanwhile.” It has to come at the start of the sentence, not in the middle.