DETROIT — Ricky Nolasco’s sore right elbow could force the Minnesota Twins to call up a starter for their home opener April 13 against the Kansas City Royals.
Nolasco experienced right elbow pain April 8 in his start at Detroit throwing a curveball to catcher Alex Avila on his way to a fourth-inning leadoff walk.
Two batters later, Nolasco was out of the game, not knowing that in less than 24 hours he would be on his way to Minnesota for an examination of the elbow.
While the Twins hope it’s nothing serious, they still have to plan ahead.
The weather could make a difference, too. Minnesota waited through a weather delay of three hours, 36 minutes Thursday before finally starting its scheduled game in Detroit and nasty weather is not uncommon in the Midwest at this time of year.
Should examination of the elbow reveal nothing serious and the pain disappears quickly, Nolasco could still start the home opener as planned. Results of the MRI were not available after the game.
Teams are cautious with elbows, however. Putting Nolasco on the 15-day disabled list means the right-hander will miss at least one start.
Thursday’s game in Detroit being played as scheduled meant Minnesota will need someone to fill Nolasco’s slot for its April 13 home opener.
A rainout of Thursday’s game would have allowed Minnesota to move its starters back, letting manager Paul Molitor pitch right-hander Phil Hughes in the home opener.
The Twins not being scheduled to play April 14 would have let Molitor go through his four current starters once more before a fifth starter would be required.
That would have meant a start for Mr. X on April 19. As it is, the vacancy will have to be filled April 13.
The two top candidates in the minors are right-handers Trevor May and Alex Meyer.
May had a good spring and was in the mix to be the fifth starter, including the surprise suspension of right-hander Ervin Santana for 80 games.
He was also scheduled to start Thursday for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, weather and management permitting.
Meyer would benefit from more experience in the minors but emergencies are emergencies and he fits the profile of hard-throwers the Twins are now trying to draft and develop.