Tortuga time could be drawing near.

Willians Astudillo is "getting very close" to making a push for the Twins' roster, manager Rocco Baldelli said before Monday's series opener in Milwaukee, and the eventual return of La Tortuga as a third catcher and reserve infielder could give Minnesota some important versatility in the wake of Josh Donaldson's lingering calf injury.

Astudillo hasn't been with the Twins since the start of Summer Camp due to testing positive for COVID-19 as part of the club's intake protocol. He missed the entire ramp-up period leading into the season before he was finally cleared for participation two weeks ago on July 26. The Twins remain cautious with Astudillo's conditioning, particularly because he has to prepare for the rigors of catching duty, but Baldelli sounded optimistic about his upcoming readiness for play.

"I think if the right situation comes up, I think he’s getting much, much closer to being a strong consideration to come in and help us," Baldelli said. "I don’t think there’s any reason to rush it, and we didn’t bring him on the trip because we wanted him to stay back and keep playing and get those at-bats."

Though Astudillo hit only .268/.299/.379 with four homers in 58 games last season, he could be an important piece on this Twins roster due to his versatility.

The Twins are running a three-man bench, with 16 pitchers and 12 position players, and have used both Marwin Gonzalez and Ehire Adrianza in their lineup on a consistent basis due to considerations of matchup and rest. Astudillo could give those two a break as both third- and first-base depth, as well as a potential pinch-hitter in late-game, contact-oriented situations.

"It’s not the easiest of spots to be in, running with the 12 position players," Baldelli said. "You know you’re always kind of one issue, even a small issue, away from having to make a move or potentially two moves, but also the length and different options pitching-wise, having those at your disposal at any time is very helpful right now.

"You know that that most likely will not last forever and that you’re one day away from really having to go in a different direction."

Astudillo's presence on the roster as a third catcher could also open up Mitch Garver for usage as a pinch-hitter in games in which he's not in the starting lineup without burning through the club's full catching depth.

Donaldson still not ramping up
The Twins are still waiting for Donaldson to take the next step in his recovery from a right calf strain.

Baldelli said on Monday that the third basemen has been swinging a bat, taking ground balls and doing some running, but he hasn't yet ramped up to full-speed sprinting and agility. The Twins want Donaldson to feel some improvement in the calf area before they're willing to begin his ramp-up, and there is not yet a timetable for his return.

Donaldson sustained the injury during a July 31 contest against Cleveland at Target Field, when he removed himself during the second inning after feeling tightness in the calf. The 2015 American League MVP Award winner has a history of injuries to both calves, which cost him significant time in both '17 and '18.

The Twins hoped at first that Donaldson could avoid a stint on the injured list, but they finally placed him on the 10-day IL last Friday after the recovery was progressing slower than anticipated.

"I think the initial assessment of where we thought he would be the day after it happened and the day after that, closer to the injury, was probably a little bit aggressive," Baldelli said. "Even I thought probably some things that were probably wrong. When we said day to day, a few days -- at the time, that was something that we thought was the case, and then we realized we’re going to be a little bit more conservative here."

Roster moves
The Twins outrighted outfielder Aaron Whitefield off their 40-man roster, the club announced on Monday. The 23-year-old cleared waivers and was assigned to the Minor Leagues, effectively completing his 2020 season. Whitefield was on the club's Opening Day 30-man roster as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement but only appeared in three games before he was optioned when rosters trimmed down to 28.

Minnesota also added right-handed pitcher Casey Lawrence to its 60-man player pool and assigned him to its alternate training site in St. Paul, Minn., after 32-year-old cleared COVID-19 intake protocol. Lawrence was signed to a Minor League deal during the offseason and owns a 6.64 ERA acros 38 games in the Majors with the Blue Jays and Mariners. He most recently pitched in Japan for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.