Minnesota Twins supporters, yearning for a glimmer of positivity, received precisely that on Thursday afternoon.
The early weeks of the season have been bleak, with the Twins sliding to a 6-11 record after being swept by the Baltimore Orioles. This downturn followed a brief resurgence when Minnesota swept a doubleheader against Detroit, though that success now seems distant.
Even more disheartening was Max Kepler’s injury on Opening Day, an incident that led to his placement on the injured list. Kepler sustained a knee injury after fouling a pitch in the inaugural game, and despite attempting to soldier on for the following week, it became evident that his condition was more severe than initially anticipated.
As Kepler’s stint on the injured list nears its end, news of his initiation of a rehab assignment brings a ray of hope, marking the most uplifting development for Twins fans in recent days.
Max Kepler makes significant progress toward rejoining the Twins lineup.
The Twins revealed on Thursday that Kepler’s recovery was on track, and he would join the St. Paul Saints lineup to further his rehabilitation. While he’s gradually reintegrating himself, he’ll primarily take on the role of designated hitter. However, he’s set to bat second in the St. Paul lineup, providing an opportunity for fans to gauge his proximity to a return.
Max Kepler has been added to the Triple-A St. Paul roster for his rehab assignment as expected.
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) April 18, 2024
Kepler will require more than knee rehabilitation while with the Saints. His batting performance has been dismal, with just one hit in 21 at-bats, resulting in a meager .050/.095/.050 slash line. Hopefully, this poor showing is solely attributed to his knee injury and not indicative of Kepler experiencing a slump similar to the rest of the struggling Twins lineup.
The Twins as a whole are batting a dismal .195, marking one of the worst team averages in the franchise’s history. This ranks as the second-lowest team average through the initial seventeen games of a season in the past fifty years. This offensive struggle stands as the primary obstacle preventing the Twins from gaining any traction.
Kepler will be teaming up with Matt Wallner in St. Paul, who was demoted due to his underwhelming performance. This move could offer fans their first ray of hope this season. If Kepler and Wallner can regain their batting form, they may return to the MLB roster as crucial offensive catalysts.
Given the current situation, this strategy might be the most effective way to ignite some momentum.
