Twins plan to rotate trio at shortstop

MINNEAPOLIS -- With rookie shortstop Jorge Polanco struggling offensively, Twins manager Paul Molitor said he plans to rotate Ehire Adrianza, Eduardo Escobar and Polanco at the position based on matchups going forward.
Polanco started at short on Sunday, but it was his first start there since Tuesday, as Adrianza started on Wednesday and Friday, and Escobar manned short on Saturday. Polanco, 24, entered Sunday hitting .218/.269/.313, while Adrianza, 27, is batting .306/.349/.417 and Escobar, 28, is slashing .275/.331/.432.

"It's not easy," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It's not that I've lost confidence in what he's going to do in this game. I just think right now it's not happening. We're in a position where it's tough to put him out there on a day-to-day basis when we're trying to win. It's not that he can't go out there and get a hit or contribute, but I'm giving other guys a chance."
As Molitor noted, the Twins remain in the thick of the playoff race, which complicates things with Polanco, who otherwise would have more time to work out of his slump as he continues to develop at the Major League level. Further complicating matters is that Polanco is out of Minor League options, so he must stay on the roster and can't be sent to the Minors to work out the kinks.

Molitor remains hopeful Polanco will start heating up, especially based on his offensive track record as a prospect and his early success in the Majors. For now, Molitor is turning to Adrianza and Escobar, who have both been much better offensively than Polanco this year. Adrianza is also a plus-defender at the position, while Escobar offers versatility.
"We'll look for matchups instead of an everyday guy at this point," Molitor said. "I think it's the best way to go forward, at least in the short-term. It's a little bit of a revolving door."