CLEVELAND -- On Tuesday night, Taj Bradley authored yet another strong start for the Twins by allowing just two runs in six innings against the Nationals.
It’ll also be the last time he steps on the diamond for the Twins for a bit. On Saturday, Minnesota placed Bradley on the 15-day injured list with right pectoralis muscle inflammation.
The injury popped up fewer than 24 hours after that start against the Nationals, when he reported some soreness to the Twins’ training staff. He flew back to Minnesota and underwent a clean MRI, and had a second opinion scheduled with Dr. Keith Meister, which manager Derek Shelton said is normal.
“It doesn’t really impact him when he’s throwing, but it impacts other moves,” Shelton said. “We just wanted to be aware of it and just wanted to make sure it got looked at.”
Bradley, who was scheduled to start in the Twins’ series finale against the Guardians on Sunday, posted a 2.87 ERA across his first eight starts. Along with leading the Twins in innings (47), he also has a team-high 52 strikeouts and four wins.
He’s allowed two runs or fewer in seven of his eight starts this season and allowed just two runs with eight strikeouts in that start against the Nationals.
It’s another blow for a Twins rotation that’s been in scramble mode since before the season after it was announced on Feb. 20 that Pablo López would undergo Tommy John surgery.
They also lost Mick Abel to an elbow injury in the middle of April, and he recently hit a snag in his rehab that will likely extend his time on the shelf.
Luckily, it seems like Bradley avoided serious injury.
“I think any time we get an MRI that comes back clean it’s the best-case scenario,” Shelton said. “Once we get through the second opinion then we can start a course of action to get back to strengthening or throwing or whatever our team feels is necessary.”
The Twins filled Bradley’s spot on the roster with right-handed pitcher Travis Adams, who has allowed six runs across six innings at Triple-A this season.
Adams' season got off to a late start thanks to a right triceps strain he sustained during Spring Training, and he’s pitched scoreless innings across his last two appearances. He had a 7.49 ERA in 33 2/3 big league innings with the Twins last season, and could see time in a swingman role this year.
“[He’s] a guy we liked in Spring Training before he got hurt,” Shelton said. “He has an ability to go multiple innings. We’ve talked about it in our bullpen; it’s a situation where guys will get opportunities.”
Adams is one of the team’s top options to fill some innings in Sunday’s game, which was supposed to be started by Bradley. Joe Ryan starts Saturday, but he only threw nine pitches his last time out, so Shelton and the Twins will be monitoring his workload as well.
“His bullpen went well and his throwing [during the week] went well, so we feel like we’re in a good spot,” Shelton said.
The Twins also added Kendry Rojas to their taxi squad and he should slot into their big league picture soon. Rojas, the Twins’ No. 10 prospect per MLB Pipeline, made his MLB debut at the end of April against the Mets.
"I would assume that we would add him in the mix here soon,” Shelton said. “We’ll have more clarity after we get through tonight."