Here are several injury updates:
The most concerning one is the plight of catcher Jason Castro, who is on the disabled list with a torn right meniscus. Castro on Monday will head to Vail, Coloardo, where he will be examined by Dr. Robert LaPrade of The Steadman Clinic.
Castro initially injured his knee during an April 20 game at Tampa Bay. He took off a game before returning to action but had more problems with it, leading to him landing on the disabled list.
But his rehabilitation has hit a snag of some sort.
"Not progressing as much as we had hoped," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It looks like were are going to send him out for another opinion on Monday, given his history. We want to make sure we do this thing right."
Castro, batting .143 with a homer and three RBI, missed all of 2011 when he tore the meniscus and ACL in the knee, requiring surgery. He mised 30 games in 2012 when more problems in the knee, then had cyst in the knee drained in September of 2013 then had minor arthroscopic surgery in the knee later that month.
Santana close to action
Righthander Ervin Santana, on the comeback trail following surgery on his middle finger, will face hitters on Monday and Thursday in Fort Myers, Fla. If that goes well, he will pitch in an extended spring training game on May 21, then begin an official minor league rehabilitation assignment on May 26th.
The Twins have not decided how many rehab starts Santana will need before he is activated. The Twins hope Santana can throw four innings or 60 pitches in his first rehab start.
"You can talk about if you want him up here for five (innings) and 75 (pitches) or you want to do another one in the minor leagues," Molitor said.
In his last bullpen outing on Thursday, Santana threw 50 pitches, including eight to 10 sliders, Molitor said. The slider is the pitch Santana needs a healthy middle finger to spin properly.
May starts tonight
Rigthhander Trevor May (elbow surgery) was scheduled to start for Class A Fort Myers on Saturday as he works his way back to the majors.
The nearly daily Miguel Sano update
Miguel Sano (left hamstring) worked out, hit and took some more grounders on Saturday but not at the intensity as the last couple of days. Sano is not totally pain free yet, Molitor said, so they are being careful with him. Sunday's plan is to reduce his workload again, then increase his activities on Monday when the Twins open a homestand.
When asked if the last few days have been positive with Sano, Molitor said: "I think to get him out on the field doing more baseball things was good. I don't how to measure it other than that. We have to see how he progresses. Obviously, I'm a little apprehensive with a guy with hamsting history, that body type and all those types of things."
Molitor added there is still a ways to go with Sano before he can play a full game.
Twins
Joe Mauer, 1B
Brian Dozier, 2B
Max Kepler, RF
Eduardo Escobar, 3B
Eddie Rosario, LF
Mitch Garver, C
Logan Morrison, DH
Ehrie Adrianza, SS
Byron Buxton, CF
Kyle Gibson, RHP
Angels
Zack Cozart, 3B
Mike Trout, CF
Justin Upton, LF
Albert Pujols, DH
Andrelton Simmons, SS
Luis Valbuena, 1B
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Kole Calhoun, RF
Rene Rivera, C
Nick Tropeano, RHP
