Entering a season filled with excitement and opportunity, the Twins were hit with devastating and potentially season-shifting news when test results on Joe Nathan's elbow showed a tear in the All-Star closer's ulnar collateral ligament.
When asked whether Nathan's tear is full or partial, general manager Bill Smith responded only with, "Significant." The Twins sent Nathan's test results to Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion and they, along with their closer, said they would take up to two weeks to decide on a treatment option.
Nathan is hoping that window will afford him enough rest and rehab to be able to be able to pitch through the injury, but that's a mostly unprecedented and certainly optimistic hope.
"I know if I can (pitch), I will," he said.
On a tough day for the Minnesota Twins, third base prospect Danny Valencia provided something positive. Valencia hit the go-ahead home run in the eighth inning, and the Twins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 on Tuesday after learning All-Star closer Joe Nathan has a torn ligament in his throwing elbow.
The Minnesota Twins suddenly have a glaring concern about closing games for the first time since Joe Nathan took over in 2004. Tests on Nathan's right throwing elbow have revealed a significant tear in the ulnar collateral ligament, an injury that could require season-ending Tommy John surgery. Nathan's 246 saves over six seasons are the most in the majors during that span.
Scott Baker was one of the highlights in a mixed day for the Minnesota Twins' pitching staff. Baker threw two effective innings, Jason Kubel homered and a Twins split-squad beat the New York Yankees 11-0 on Sunday. Baker's strong outing and Nick Blackburn's new contract was tempered by closer Joe Nathan returning to Minnesota for tests on his surgically repaired right elbow.
Joe Nathan appears to have avoided the problem that struck John Lackey the past two years -- a troublesome spring training injury. The Minnesota Twins closer should be "fine" after leaving Saturday's 9-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox with soreness and tightness in his surgically repaired right elbow, manager Ron Gardenhire said.
Justin Morneau and Tim Wakefield each made encouraging returns to the field after a long offseason dealing with back injuries. Morneau marked his return to Minnesota with a two-run double and Wakefield tossed two scoreless innings for Boston in his first post-surgery appearance in a 5-0 victory by the Twins over the Red Sox on Friday.
The last time Josh Beckett and Nick Blackburn pitched, their teams lost the second game of a pair of three-game sweeps in AL division series. The stakes were much lower on Thursday night when the Boston Red Sox beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 on Mark Wagner's tiebreaking single in the eight in the spring training opener for both teams.
