KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With the Twins calling up Griffin Jax on Saturday, logic should have led to the belief he would start Sunday against the Royals.
Instead, a different pitcher from Class AAA St. Paul took the mound Sunday at Kauffman Stadium: Bailey Ober.
"We would have been very happy to have Griffin actually start the game, too, but we feel like he's more positioned to help us skill set-wise and just ability to ramp up and recover and do things like that out of the bullpen," manager Rocco Baldelli said.
In his second big-league start, Ober gave up one run on five hits in four innings while striking out four. The 6-foot-9 righthander did not walk a batter.
"A little bit more at ease today," Ober said comparing this start to his first, vs. the White Sox on May 18, when he gave up two home runs in four innings. "I know, obviously, when you make your debut, your emotions are going to be higher, you're going to be pumped up on adrenaline. I definitely felt that a little bit in my warmups. But once I got on the mound for the warmup pitches and then the first inning, I felt like I was settled in."
Ober said his Saints start had been pushed back in case the Twins needed him, and he formally heard of his call-up Friday night so he could begin preparing.
Ober was pulled Sunday after throwing only 51 pitches, a decision Baldelli said was made within the flow of the game.
"We didn't go into the game looking at a pitch count and we didn't go into the game looking for a number of innings from Bailey," Baldelli said after the 2-1 victory. "We were in a good competitive game, we have an off day coming up, we have a bullpen that had a bunch of guys that can go out there and give us a good, solid inning. … In other scenarios, if we had a few runs that we're playing with or something like that, he probably would have kept going and maybe for a little while."
Upcoming starters
Michael Pineda, whose moved-back start necessitated Ober's fill-in, will start Tuesday to begin the series against the New York Yankees after some extra rest. Pineda pitched a bullpen session Sunday while dealing with some forearm soreness, but pitching coach Wes Johnson deemed him ready to return.
After Pineda, Randy Dobnak will pitch Wednesday and J.A. Happ on Thursday.
Kenta Maeda is still on the injured list, having to deal with first a groin strain and then general arm soreness. He also pitched a bullpen session Sunday — throwing 35 times and employing all of his pitches — and seems on his way to a rehab assignment.
"It's very possible that with his buildup that he's potentially going to need an outing to go out there and compete, not just go out there for a sim [simulated] game and pitch at 75 percent or anything like that," Baldelli said. "I think it would be good for him to ramp up and build up his pitch count to get back to a place where he can go out there and make a good, full start for us."
Buxton on mend
Joining Maeda on that rehab stint might be Byron Buxton. The center fielder has been on the injury list for a month dealing with a hip strain.
Baldelli said that could happen as soon as "next week at some point." Buxton's baserunning is at 100% with no complaints or issues, and he is continuing his sprint work.
"He's getting very close," Baldelli said. "Obviously, we want to make sure he's recovering well and coming back the following day with no soreness and no anything. But things are good."
Right fielder Max Kepler also could join that rehab stint as he recovers from his hamstring injury.
Etc.
• The Twins scratched designated hitter Nelson Cruz on Sunday because of a stiff left knee. He wore a compression sleeve Sunday and will have Monday's off day to recover before Tuesday's game.
• To make room for Ober, the Twins shuffled fellow righthander Shaun Anderson to the 10-day injured list because of finger blisters on his throwing hand.
