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April 23: RHP Jhoan Duran (right oblique strain) begins rehab assignment
Duran joined the Triple-A St. Paul Saints to begin his rehab assignment, the final step ahead of his 2024 debut for the Major League squad. He should soon be joined by bullpen-mate Justin Topa, who threw roughly 20 pitches in a live session on Tuesday at Target Field. Topa expects to begin a rehab assignment with St. Paul on Thursday.

April 22: RF Max Kepler (right knee contusion) reinstated from 10-day IL; RHP Ronny Henriquez selected from Triple-A St. Paul; RHP Louie Varland, C Jair Camargo optioned to Triple-A St. Paul
Kepler, who missed the past 13 games with a right knee contusion, was activated off the 10-day injured list after going 4-for-10 in a rare (for him) rehab assignment at Triple-A St. Paul. The club also selected Henriquez, who has appeared in three games this season for the Twins, going 0-1 with a 2.31 ERA, though a roster spot will eventually need to go to Simeon Woods Richardson, who will take the rotation spot vacated following a rough start to the season by Varland.

Camargo went back to the Saints, with Daniel Duarte (set to undergo season-ending surgery) going to the 60-day IL to make room on the 40-man roster for Henriquez.

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10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST

RHP Jhoan Duran (right oblique strain)
Expected return: April
Duran began a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on April 23. He threw a successful 21-pitch bullpen session at Target Field on April 19, his third ’pen since starting his ramp-up into play. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Duran was slated to throw just 20 pitches, but “he wanted an extra one, so that tells you he’s feeling good.” It's unclear how many rehab outings Duran will need.

An MRI exam revealed the oblique strain after Duran planned to throw a live batting practice session during Spring Training on March 16, but he was shut down after experiencing cramping and tightness in his side. (Last updated: April 23)

RHP Justin Topa (left patellar tendinitis)
Expected return: April
Topa, who threw roughly 20 pitches in a live session at Target Field on April 23, expected to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A St. Paul on April 25. Topa began the season on the IL due to soreness and inflammation related to left knee tendinitis that had lingered throughout last season. That flared up during Spring Training, leading to him opting for rest to get out ahead of the issue this year.

"Obviously, it wasn't ideal timing, where we were in camp at the time," Topa said. "But I think we'd rather take the time now and get it right, and be good the rest of the year with it, than just try to push through it and, who knows, maybe it gets worse, maybe it's a longer IL stint further down the road.

"I think the decision was just to nip it in the bud now and get it on the right track a bit, and be good the rest of the way." (Last updated: April 23)

SS Carlos Correa (mild right intercostal strain)
Expected return: TBD
Correa is slated to begin baseball activity the week of April 22 if he stays on his current progression. Head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta said, “His symptoms are improving dramatically from where we were.”

Correa went on the IL for what was originally described as an oblique strain that he sustained in a loss to the Tigers on April 12, but the Twins later announced that imaging instead revealed a mild right intercostal strain. Manager Rocco Baldelli did not yet have a timeline for Correa's recovery, but expected to have one by late next week.

Correa had been dealing with sickness that had caused some congestion, coughing and tightness in his sides that flared up as he made a diving stop and took a check swing during that game in Detroit. He was encouraged that he could breathe without feeling the pain and tightness in his side, which he understands would have been the case with a more severe strain.

"It’s not crazy," Correa said. "Definitely not playable, but when I talked to other people that had bad oblique strains, it’s nothing like that. I can breathe without pain and all that. So yeah, we’ll see." (Last updated: April 20)

3B Royce Lewis (severe right quad strain)
Expected return: No sooner than June
Lewis swung off a tee on April 19 and stood in on some bullpens on April 20. Head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta said Lewis “still [has] some boxes to check for us,” but that Lewis could start a running progression as early as April 22, which will help provide a better estimate of his return date.

Lewis was expected to need at least a month of pure recovery following what was described as a "severe" right quad strain sustained while running the bases in the Twins' Opening Day victory over the Royals on March 28. He will not require surgery but did receive a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection. (Last updated: April 20)

60-DAY INJURED LIST

RHP Daniel Duarte (right elbow strain)
Expected return: Not this season
Duarte will undergo right elbow surgery on May 8, performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas. He had Tommy John surgery on his right arm 10 years ago. This surgery will either be a total replacement of the graft in his elbow or the installation of a brace to support the current structure.

According to head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta, Meister said he wouldn’t know which until he began the procedure. Either way, Duarte is facing a long recovery. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 22. (Last updated: April 22)

RHP Zack Weiss (right teres major strain)
Expected return: No sooner than June
Weiss is still in a long-toss program and hasn’t thrown off a mound after he suffered recurring symptoms that have slowed his expected progression.

Weiss was moved to the 60-day IL on April 9. He suffered a strain to the teres major in the right rotator cuff in late February and did not appear in any Spring Training games. (Last updated: April 20)

RHP Josh Winder (right scapula stress fracture)
Expected return: June
Winder has thrown two bullpen sessions in Florida, putting him on track to pitch in extended Spring Training games before he starts an official rehab assignment. Because Winder missed all of Spring Training, the Twins are taking it slow with him, treating his recovery as a more Spring Training-like buildup.

He is tracking behind in his buildup due to a stress fracture he sustained in his right shoulder area last fall, which he said was due to his workload throughout his 2023 season. After undergoing imaging in October, Winder was prescribed rest to allow the fracture to heal, after which he started to throw in January. (Last updated: April 20)

RHP Anthony DeSclafani (right elbow strain)
Expected return: 2025 at the earliest
DeSclafani underwent season-ending flexor tendon repair surgery with Dr. Keith Meister on March 29. He attempted two ramp-ups in Spring Training but had both halted by elbow soreness, at which point he and the Twins sought a consultation with Meister.

There was no UCL involvement, meaning DeSclafani did not need Tommy John surgery, but the flexor tendon surgery also involves a 13-month recovery timeline. (Last updated: March 30)

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