Doumit progressing from calf injury

MILWAUKEE -- Ryan Doumit is continuing to make progress with his strained right calf, but is still only available for pinch-hit duty.

Doumit served as a pinch-hitter in Saturday's 5-4 win, but was intentionally walked in the seventh inning and removed for a pinch-runner. Doumit will continue to stay in that role, but there's a chance he could return as designated hitter against the White Sox next week.

"He's a pinch-hitter and then I'd have to pinch-run for him," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "So we'll see how he gets through today and then once we get to Chicago we'll see what we can do, too. I'll give him as much time as I can, and use him in this pinch-hit role until we make sure the calf is good."

Gardenhire also explained the club's mix-up last week, when the Twins announced that Doumit was placed on the disabled list after Wednesday's game in Detroit.

Gardenhire said that Doumit was never officially placed on the DL, and that the press release should have said a decision would be made on Thursday. After an MRI revealed only a mild strain, Doumit was able to avoid the disabled list, while right-hander Nick Blackburn was placed on the DL instead with a left quad strain.

"It wasn't really getting talked out of it," Gardenhire said. "I just said the night before that we weren't going to make a move until we saw what the MRI said. We didn't put him on the DL. If you read what I said in my quotes, I said, 'We'll make a decision on who will go on the DL.' I don't have any control over the press release."