MINNEAPOLIS -- Byron Buxton took a step forward Friday, Aug. 23, as he nears a rehab assignment that looks increasingly likely to start this weekend.
The Twins’ center fielder did a full range of activities pregame on Friday, taking batting practice and going through a full workout. He suffered a shoulder subluxation earlier this month, crashing into the wall at Marlins Park as he was running down a ball that went for a triple in Miami.
“Buck’s doing really well,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He’s pretty much able to take part in everything we would want him to do. He took part in everything, felt good, and I think we’re getting to a point where he can go out sometime soon and play in some rehab games and see how he’s feeling.”
Eddie Rosario, who left Wednesday’s game with right hamstring tightness, was out on the field taking BP pre-game and said he was feeling better. Though he was out of the lineup on Friday, Baldelli said Rosario would “potentially be available for some duty,” on Friday if needed.
Rosario expressed hope that he would be back in the lineup over the weekend. “It’s nothing serious,” Rosario said. “Thank God.”
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Twins flash personality
While the Twins were decked in monochromatic white Players’ Weekend jerseys, their other gear provided plenty of pops of color.
Miguel Sano had a pair of custom cleats with his son Dylan’s face on the heel of one and his late daughter, Angelica, on the heel of the other. They read “Daddy’s Boy on Earth,” on one and “Daddy’s Girl in Heaven,” on the other. His black and white bat had a pattern in red with his nickname “Boqueton,” and his number printed on it.
Jose Berrios sported one pink and purple cleat with hearts and his wife and daughter’s name and one blue cleat with both his sons’ names. The Puerto Rico flag was printed on both. Sergio Romo had four custom cleats, each themed to honor one of his kids. He had a Jurassic World cleat, a Godzilla cleat, a WWE cleat and a Baby Shark cleat.
Among other customizations, Lewis Thorpe had the Australian flag on one shoe and kangaroos in neon orange on the other. Ehire Adrianza’s bats had the Venezuelan flag while Max Kepler’s had the German flag. Mitch Garver, who is from New Mexico, had the state flag along with hot air balloons, a nod to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
“We’re always trying to mix it up and do something that we haven’t seen before, and that’s cool,” Baldelli said. “If the players are having fun with it and the fans are having fun, I think it’s probably a good idea.”
