Mejia to be recalled to start Saturday vs. Cubs

CHICAGO -- The Twins are set to recall left-hander Adalberto Mejía from Triple-A Rochester to start against the Cubs on Saturday, manager Paul Molitor said Wednesday.
With the help of Monday's off-day, the Twins will move up Jake Odorizzi to start on normal rest against the White Sox in the series finale on Thursday, while José Berríos will take the mound in the series opener against the Cubs on Friday.
Mejia will make his first start of the season with the Twins. He has been pitching well at Triple-A Rochester, posting a 2.74 ERA with 50 strikeouts, 16 walks and two homers allowed in 49 1/3 innings.
"The reports have been his command has been much better," Molitor said. "More efficient. His offspeed seems to be working. His changeup is the only pitch that's been hot and cold. His fastball/slider command has been really good. He's had a handful of good outings in a row. Efficient is good."
Mejia, 25, has pitched especially well in June, going 4-1 with a 1.41 ERA and 30 strikeouts and eight walks in 32 innings. He was a candidate to make the rotation out of Spring Training, but he struggled in spring and later missed nearly a month with a blister on his left hand. He last pitched on Monday, so he'll be starting on normal rest.
"My thought was I wanted to get Odorizzi back out there as quick as possible, as long as it was on turn," Molitor said. "We all know that Jose is throwing the ball well. With Mejia, it gave him a chance to pitch on his regular turn and be lined up for Saturday. There were some things that made sense about doing it this way."

Mejia made 21 starts as a rookie last year, posting a 4.50 ERA with 85 strikeouts, 44 walks and 13 homers allowed in 98 innings. He averaged 4 2/3 innings per start last season, but he has gone at least six frames in each of his last five starts.
Worth noting
• Shortstop Jorge Polanco's rehab assignment was transferred to Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday, but the Red Wings' game was rained out. Polanco went 2-for-3 with a homer and two walks with Class A Advanced Fort Myers on Tuesday, and he is expected to play in Thursday's doubleheader in Rochester. Polanco must be reinstated from his 80-game suspension on Monday or be placed on the 10-day disabled list, as he's been dealing with an infected right index finger after accidentally slamming it in a door.
• Designated hitter Logan Morrison was held out of the lineup on Wednesday, as he continues to work on his hitting mechanics with hitting coach James Rowson. Molitor said Morrison is likely to start at first base on Thursday, and they're working to see when he'll play without the DH when they play the Cubs and Brewers on their road trip.
"I keep thinking he's going to hit a little run here that'll get him going," Molitor said. "He's shown signs of life every now and then. But then you have nights like last night where you see the frustration with the ball going straight up and not going very far. But I'm not worried about working and keeping an attitude to get himself on a better track."
• Triple-A catcher Willians Astudillo was named an International League All-Star on Wednesday. Astudillo, 26, hit .295/.326/.497 with seven homers, 12 doubles and 25 RBIs in his first 48 games. He had struck out only nine times in 185 plate appearances. He's also only struck out 76 times in 2,339 career plate appearances in the Minors.