Polanco, Kirilloff to Start Twins’ Season on Injured List

The Minnesota Twins’ season is just eight days away so Derek Falvey, Thad Levine and Rocco Baldelli are starting to prepare the roster for Opening Day. On Tuesday, we found out that Byron Buxton would begin the season as the team’s designated hitter. On Wednesday, it was announced that both Jorge Polanco and Alex Kirilloff will be on the injured list.

Alex Kirilloff (wrist) and Jorge Polanco (knee) will both begin the season in the injured list for the #MNTwins.

— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) March 22, 2023

Not surprising, Just disappointing

The injured list designations aren’t a surprise, necessarily. Polanco is yet to get any action in Spring Training and there have already been reports that Kirilloff is still struggling to return from his ever-nagging wrist injury.

Still, some optimism rang through more recently, when Kirilloff played in some minor league spring training games in the last week. Hopefully, this IL move is just part of his return process and not another setback.

The Twins roster is deeper in 2023 than it has been anytime in recent memory. But if this team wants to make any sort of playoff run, they will need Buxton, Polanco and Kirilloff on the field and healthy with Carlos Correa for as many games possible.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan