Abel to undergo MRI for sore right elbow following bullpen session

PHOENIX -- Mick Abel is going to be out of the Twins’ rotation longer than expected.

Minnesota manager Derek Shelton said before Saturday’s game against the Diamondbacks that the 24-year-old Abel woke up sore following a bullpen session. The team then pulled the plug on any chance of a start in Sunday’s finale in Arizona.

Instead, Abel will receive a precautionary MRI on Monday, and the club will then determine next steps. Shelton confirmed the discomfort was in his right elbow, which is the same injury that caused him to leave the rotation in mid-April.

Minnesota’s manager called Abel’s discomfort a “setback,” but pumped the brakes on hitting the panic button.

“I don't like to live in a speculative world of when he's going to pitch, and you always have to wait until after there's either stress of a game or stress of a bullpen, and this morning the recovery wasn't where we wanted it to be,” Shelton said. “He's going to get an MRI, and then we'll kind of go from there.”

Abel’s bullpen session followed a strong rehab outing with Triple-A St. Paul, where he allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits on 61 pitches over five innings. He struck out five without issuing a walk, and appeared to be destined for an upcoming big league start.

He has not started for the Twins since April 14, but he did touch 96 miles per hour in his rehab start.

Shelton emphasized Monday’s MRI is precautionary.

“The imaging is just to see where we're at,” he said. “Everybody wants to go initially to the imaging is, ’Oh my god, something's catastrophically wrong.’ It's just that if he's not recovering like he should be, then we need to diagnostically use everything at our advantage to take a look at it.

“I think until we get the MRI back, then that's when we can have that conversation.”