CHICAGO — Just six games into the season, the Minnesota Twins suddenly find themselves a bit short of pitching.
Right-handed starter Ricky Nolasco went on the disabled list Sunday due to an ailing right shoulder, while right-handed reliever Casey Fien is also nursing a sore shoulder.
“There is a little inflammation in that elbow, so we’re going to back him off a little to make sure he gets back to 100 percent,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said about Nolasco.
Molitor plans to be equally cautious with Fien, who was 5-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 73 games last year.
“He’s got a little bit of tender shoulder with some stiffness,” Molitor said. “Hoping it will take care of itself here in the next day or two. I’ll just take a lead from our trainers and him, but right now we’re OK. It doesn’t sound like it’s serious enough for me to worry about it yet.”
Some help arrived Sunday when right-hander Trevor May was called up from Triple-A Rochester. He will make his season debut in Monday’s home opener at Target Field in place of Nolasco.
May is pumped up about the opportunity.
“It’s exciting, it’s fun,” he said of pitching the opener. “It’s as big as the crowd can be, I guess, but beyond that, it’s exactly the same. Having a little experience up here, I kind of know how things are and I’ve thrown in front of some pretty big crowds before. I’m excited. Definitely it’s a cool thing.”