BOSTON -- Twins catcher Kurt Suzuki, a top candidate to be dealt before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, left Saturday's 11-9 win over the Red Sox in the second inning after being hit in the facemask by a foul tip from Dustin Pedroia. Suzuki left to get eight stitches on his chin, but didn't suffer a concussion, the Twins announced.
Suzuki, who missed Friday's game because he's been banged up from several foul tips behind the plate since the All-Star break, was helped off the field by trainer Dave Pruemer. He left with a towel covering his face, as he suffered the cut from the impact of the foul tip. Juan Centeno replaced Suzuki behind the plate.
"Kurt got gashed," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "It's not too often you get a compression cut just from the pressure of the pitch. Somehow it split his chin up pretty good. He's going to be sore. Hopefully, he won't need to wear a mask [Sunday], but knowing him, he'll want to catch in emergency."
Molitor said he doesn't think Suzuki will need a trip to the 15-day disabled list, but Centeno will start behind the plate Sunday. Centeno also took a foul tip off his mask in the seventh, but remained in the game. Eduardo Escobar remains the club's emergency catcher.
"I was a little concerned there," Molitor said. "But they checked on him and he was able to stay in the game."
Suzuki has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball since June, and had an RBI double off the Green Monster in his lone at-bat Saturday. Suzuki is hitting .288/.325/.429 with five homers, 14 doubles and 33 RBIs in 67 games.