MINNEAPOLIS -- Before Tuesday's tilt with the Yankees at Target Field, the Twins announced that they selected the contract of 44-year-old righty Bartolo Colon from Triple-A Rochester and reinstated left-handed reliever Craig Breslow from the 10-day disabled list. Colon got the start against New York on Tuesday; Minnesota is the 10th organization of his 20-year career.
In order to make room on both the 40- and 25-man rosters, Minnesota placed right-hander Phil Hughes on the 60-day DL with a recurrence of thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms.
"We have been having some conversations on how best to proceed [with Hughes], including a lengthy one yesterday," manager Paul Molitor said. "We valued his input and where he was at. The symptoms are still there to some degree. Our focus is to try and have a healthy Phil Hughes going into camp next year."
The team has yet to determine if Hughes will undergo the same season-ending surgery he had on July 6 of last year, in which a rib was removed to relieve nerve pressure on his right shoulder, but he is likely done for the season, according to Molitor.
Other notable pitchers who underwent this surgery are Chris Young, Shaun Marcum, Chris Carpenter, Jaime Garcia, Josh Beckett, Kenny Rogers, Matt Harrison and Matt Harvey.
Hughes noted that Young had the most successful track record post-surgery after figuring out how to get batters out with a lower velocity.
"There are avenues that this comes out with a good story," Hughes said. "It's just a matter of being able to find out what works best for me. There are plenty of guys who have had it; it's not something that's impossible. It's a bump in the road."
After landing on the shelf with inflammation in his right biceps tendon on May 22, Hughes rejoined the big league club in late June and was moved to the bullpen. He made five relief appearances -- posting a 6.75 ERA in 6 2/3 innings -- the most for Hughes since he made 44 for the Yankees in 2009.
Molitor mentioned that the Twins had hoped to move Hughes into a more prominent role down the road, but that never came to fruition due to the uncertainty of his status.
Hughes now joins Trevor May (Tommy John surgery), Ryan O'Rourke (Tommy John surgery) and Glen Perkins (surgery on left shoulder) on the 60-day DL. Hughes, who remains under contract through 2019, said he's trying his best not to think about the possibility of his injury being career-ending given his recent stretch.
"I try to not think that way," he said. "Certainly, it's been a rough go the last few years, and I try not to let my mind wander that way. But it has been frustrating."
In another roster move, the Twins optioned Kennys Vargas to Rochester. Vargas is batting .244 this season with eight homers and 30 RBIs in 176 at-bats with Minnesota.