Major League Baseball

Baker likely to miss two starts

Published Sep. 3, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

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Baker lasted just two innings in his start on Thursday night. He had a cortisone shot after leaving the game and said on Friday that his elbow already is feeling a little better.

Baker had a cortisone shot in early July to combat the same problem. But he said he started feeling discomfort again in the elbow in the first inning against Detroit and had to leave after having problems locating his pitches in the second inning.

''I can deal with the discomfort,'' Baker said. ''But when it started to affect my pitches, I wasn't able to finish them and able to get the ball down. Once that was the case, I wasn't doing my team any good and I wasn't doing myself any good.''

After having to use starters Brian Duensing and Nick Blackburn in a 13-inning loss to the Tigers on Thursday night, the Twins had to scramble to reshuffle their rotation. They recalled Matt Fox from Triple-A to make his first career start on Friday night against Texas.

Carl Pavano will start Saturday and Blackburn on Sunday. Kevin Slowey will be reinstated from the disabled list in time to start Monday with Duensing getting backed up to Wednesday.

Outfielder Jason Kubel, who has been out for three days after being hit on the left wrist by a pitch on Tuesday, had an MRI and X-ray and said neither test revealed significant damage. Kubel planned to take part in batting practice on Saturday and hoped to be ready to play on Sunday.

''I was really worried about that and our worse fear is if something is broken in there and we miss him too,'' Gardenhire said. ''So to hear he's doing fine, he came out and told me he's taking swings and is going to take some more during the game and may be available to pinch hit tomorrow.''

The Twins did have some good news with the return of Orlando Hudson and Jim Thome. Hudson missed the previous two games with an ankle injury and Thome has not started this week because of a stiff back.

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