The Minnesota Twins were hopeful that a forearm injury wouldn't prevent Cole De Vries from making his first start of the season on Sunday. As it turns out, De Vries will be shut down for the time being.
Twins general manager Terry Ryan told reporters in Baltimore on Friday that De Vries has been scratched from Sunday's start and will be placed on the 15-man disabled list on Sunday.
De Vries, 28, made his major league debut last season and appeared in 17 games (16 starts) with the Twins. He went 5-5 with a 4.11 ERA and had 58 strikeouts in 87 2/3 innings. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native fought for a spot on the 25-man roster this spring and earned a place in the rotation out of camp after posting a 0.53 ERA in four Grapefruit League starts.
The right-handed De Vries remained optimistic on Thursday that his forearm issue wouldn't prevent him from making Sunday's start. He threw a bullpen session Friday, which must have indicated that his arm was indeed not ready.
The Twins announced during Friday's game that left-hander Pedro Hernandez will be recalled from Triple-A Rochester to replace De Vries in the rotation. Hernandez is in his first season with Minnesota after pitching last season for the Chicago White Sox. In his only career big league appearance, Hernandez allowed eight runs (including three home runs) in just four innings for the White Sox last season.
This spring, the 23-year-old Hernandez appeared in six Grapefruit League games as a reliever and pitched 11 scoreless innings with six strikeouts and just one walk.
Arcia mashing early in Triple-A: Minnesota Twins outfielder prospect Oswaldo Arcia began the year at Triple-A Rochester after splitting time last year between High-A Fort Myers and Double-A New Britain. After just two games, Arcia has already proven he can handle pitching at the next level.
Arcia homered Friday for the Red Wings, his second in as many days. The 21-year-old Arcia went 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk in Thursday's season opener. One day later, he belted his second homer of the year to get off to an impressive start at Triple-A.
Arcia has shown power during his minor league career. He hit a combined 17 homers last season between two different levels, had 13 homers in 2011 and 14 in 2010. He was competing for a spot on the Twins' 25-man roster but ultimately missed out and started the season in the minors. If he keeps hitting like this, though, it might not be long until he's called up to the big club. Both MLB.com and Baseball America named Arcia as one of the Top 100 prospects in baseball prior to the season.
Gibson makes 2013 debut: Speaking of players who were competing for a spot in the majors, Twins pitching prospect Kyle Gibson made his season debut Friday with Triple-A Rochester. The right-hander pitched five innings and allowed just one earned run on four hits while striking out four.
Gibson missed most of the 2012 season after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He was hoping to make the Twins' 25-man roster and starting rotation but had a rough spring, posting a 9.00 ERA in four games (two starts) before he was optioned to Triple-A.
Escobar does more than deliver game-winning hits: Twins utility infielder Eduardo Escobar was the hero of Wednesday's walk-off win against Detroit when he delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning at Target Field. One day later, the 24-year-old Escobar was asked about a tambor drum that sat next to his locker. Escobar pulled it out and played an impromptu solo show for a handful of media members in the Twins clubhouse.
Turns out Escobar can carry a beat pretty well. He told reporters that he plays in a band in his native Venezuela in the winter. Several Twins players are accomplished guitarists, so perhaps they can team up with Escobar and form a band during the season.
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