Keaschall (thumb) to have MRI
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ARLINGTON – Twins star rookie Luke Keaschall was removed from Tuesday night’s 4-1 win over the Rangers at Globe Life Field in the fourth inning due to what the club called a left thumb injury.
Keaschall will undergo an MRI exam on Wednesday and, at a minimum, will not play in Wednesday night’s game. However, with only five games left in the regular season, there will likely be no push to get Keaschall back on the field.
“We're just going to have to see and let doctors look at him and make a diagnosis,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We're going to make sure we know what we're dealing with as opposed to playing it day by day and testing it out on the field. We're just going to get him looked at.”
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Keaschall appeared to grimace and flex his hand after stealing second base in the second inning. He stayed in the game and took another at-bat in the top of the third, attempting a sacrifice bunt instead of swinging away with two men on. He was lifted when the Twins came out to play defense in the fourth.
“It’s a little swollen,” Keaschall said after the game. “We’ll know more tomorrow.”
Kody Clemens moved from first base to second to take Keaschall’s spot, while Edouard Julien came into the game at first base.
Keaschall has been a bright spot in a trying Twins season, posting a .302/.382/.445 line with 14 stolen bases in 49 games. He missed more than three months in the middle of the season with a broken bone in his right arm but came back strong upon his return and has regularly hit in the heart of the Minnesota order.