Kenta Maeda struck out four of the seven batters he faced Tuesday over two hitless innings, his first rehab-assignment start for Class AAA St. Paul as he returns from a strained right triceps he suffered in April.
Maeda also walked one batter and recorded two fly outs in the 29-pitch performance in Buffalo, N.Y. His fastball topped out at 91 mph.
Caleb Thielbar, on his own rehab assignment from a right oblique strain, relieved Maeda and needed only eight pitches in his inning of work, allowing a single and striking out one.
Thielbar will pitch again for the Saints on Thursday, while Maeda will start again in Buffalo on Sunday. Both are eligible to come off the injured list when the Twins determine they are ready.
Matt Wallner, optioned to St. Paul on Monday, doubled, tripled and hit a 425-foot home run in his first game back at Class AAA, driving in four runs and helping the Saints rout the Bison, 9-1. Mark Contreras went 3-for-5 for the Saints, and Brent Headrick allowed only one run over five innings after Maeda and Thielbar were done.
Vázquez gets his ring
Christian Vázquez was a member of the Astros for only three months, but they were memorable ones. He helped them clinch the AL West title, played in his second World Series, and even caught a World Series no-hitter.
And on Tuesday, he realized one more benefit.
Astros manager Dusty Baker presented Vázquez with his World Series ring at home plate shortly before the game, a nice souvenir of a championship run.
"It's very special. It's my second ring," said the Twins' catcher, who won the 2018 World Series with the Red Sox. "That's a dream for every player in MLB, to win a World Series. So I'm lucky and very blessed."
Vazquez's wife, Gabriella, and sons Diego and Daniel were with him during the brief ceremony and watched him try on the gigantic diamond-studded ring. He wants his Twins teammates to get a look at it, too.
"I want everybody to put it on their fingers so it can motivate everyone to win here," Vázquez said. "I want a third one. We have a special group here, and I think we can do it."
