MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -Pat Neshek was trying to be positive before Friday’s game, but he was prepared for confirmation of an injury to his right elbow.
The Minnesota Twins sidearmer and setup man had an MRI in the afternoon on the joint, which he hurt while throwing a slider in the eighth inning the day before at Chicago.
Neshek came out of that game despite his desire to stay in, because he felt something “tweak” in his elbow. The initial diagnosis was a strain.
Team physician Dr. Dan Buss was to review the test result shortly before the Twins played Boston, but Neshek said he would be surprised if the MRI didn’t show something wrong.
“I think it’ll at least bit a little bit of time, but hopefully it’s nothing major major,” Neshek said. “But it could be. I don’t know.”
Neshek went 7-2 with a 2.94 ERA, a .183 batting average against and 74 strikeouts while throwing 70 1-3 innings last season, his first as the primary setup man. He had weakness in his shoulder down the stretch, but he’s never had an injured elbow.
“It was weird. I felt really good on the mound,” Neshek said. “The pitch just kind of gave out. It went kind of in the dirt, and I felt something tweak on me in my elbow. It didn’t really hurt. That’s what the weird thing was. I just felt like a weird movement, and it felt out of place a little bit.”
Some soreness came after the game, and Neshek said there was a little more Friday morning. Though his sidearm delivery appears violent, he said his slider doesn’t put any more stress on his elbow.
Neshek picked up the sidearm style in college after getting hit in the forearm by a pitch in his last high school game. He was asked, jokingly, if he’d go back to overhand now after getting hurt again.
“Left-handed,” Neshek deadpanned.
Twins infielder Nick Punto also showed up with soreness, in his left hamstring. Punto was scratched from Thursday’s lineup because of the problem, and manager Ron Gardenhire said he probably wouldn’t be available to play on Friday.
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