{"id":93891,"date":"2025-09-16T09:50:49","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T09:50:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=93891"},"modified":"2025-09-16T09:50:49","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T09:50:49","slug":"report-minnesotas-catchers-are-progressing-toward-potential-returns-giving-fans-hope-easing-roster-concerns-and-setting-up-a-much-needed-lift-for-the-stretch-ahead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=93891","title":{"rendered":"Report: Minnesota\u2019s catchers are progressing toward potential returns, giving fans hope, easing roster concerns, and setting up a much-needed lift for the stretch ahead."},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

For more than two and a half seasons, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli used only two options when penciling in his catcher into the lineup: Ryan Jeffers or Christian V\u00e1zquez. It was a remarkable run of health for the duo at the physically taxing position.<\/p>\n

But that run came to an end in early August when V\u00e1zquez developed a serious infection in his left shoulder. About a month later, Jeffers suffered a concussion when he was struck in the face mask by a pair of foul tips.<\/p>\n

The Twins have just under two weeks left in their season, but both are working towards a potential return. And V\u00e1zquez, in particular, is close to heading out on a rehab assignment.<\/p>\n

Reliever Anthony Misiewicz, who has been dealing with a shoulder impingement since July, will throw live batting practice at Target Field, and both V\u00e1zquez and Jeffers have the option to hit off him.<\/p>\n

V\u00e1zquez has a week of progressive activity, and should everything go well, he appears to be on track to join the Triple-A Saints on Thursday in Memphis and play with them through the weekend. The Saints\u2019 season concludes on Sunday.<\/p>\n

As for Jeffers, he is doing baseball activities but is not fully back to where he needs to be yet after suffering the concussion on Sept. 5, meaning if he does return before the season ends, it would likely be after V\u00e1zquez.<\/p>\n

With both Jeffers and V\u00e1zquez out, the Twins have turned to Mickey Gasper and Jhonny Pereda, who have essentially been splitting time behind the plate for the past couple of weeks.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoth are doing a good job working with all the different guys on the staff,\u201d Baldelli said. \u201cGame planning has been good, so I\u2019ve been happy with what I\u2019ve seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

L\u00f3pez honored<\/h4>\n

Monday was Roberto Clemente Day around Major League Baseball, honoring the legacy of the hall of fame player and humanitarian. For the second straight season \u2014 and third time in his career \u2014 pitcher Pablo L\u00f3pez was named the Twins\u2019 Roberto Clemente Award for his work in the Twin Cities community.<\/p>\n

Last month, L\u00f3pez invited a handful of local students to join him in packing back-to-school supply kits for teachers that he purchased. He also joined teammates Zebby Matthews and Luke Keaschall at the Twins Community Fund\u2019s adaptive softball clinic this summer. And through his \u201cPablo Day\u201d initiative, which happens when he makes starts at Target Field, he has raised more than $22,000 for nonprofits representing causes close to his heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe gives a lot to this game,\u201d Baldelli said. \u201cHe\u2019s an extremely dedicated and disciplined guy. But he also gives that to people outside this clubhouse. I think he finds it his duty to do things for other people consistently. Part of his mission, just as a person.\u201d<\/p>\n

Briefly<\/h4>\n

The Twins are continuing to employ a six-man rotation for now. That means Matthews will start Tuesday\u2019s game against the New York Yankees with Taj Bradley following the series finale on Wednesday night. Matthews will be opposed by Cam Schlittler, who held the Twins to a run on two hits over five innings in August.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Christian V\u00e1zquez is likely to join the St. Paul Saints on a rehab assignment in Memphis later this week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":93896,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[424,77],"class_list":["post-93891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-major-league-baseball","tag-minnesota-twins"],"yoast_head":"\nReport: Minnesota\u2019s catchers are progressing toward potential returns, giving fans hope, easing roster concerns, and setting up a much-needed lift for the stretch ahead. - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=93891\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Report: Minnesota\u2019s catchers are progressing toward potential returns, giving fans hope, easing roster concerns, and setting up a much-needed lift for the stretch ahead. - 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