Buxton, Polanco remain on track for Opening Day
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FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Among the trio of projected regulars who haven’t yet seen action in Spring Training play, Byron Buxton and Jorge Polanco remain on track to be with the team for Opening Day, while Alex Kirilloff is tracking “a little bit behind schedule” in his live hitting, according to president of baseball operations Derek Falvey.
Buxton and Polanco have ramped up toward game action at a more cautious pace due to their injury status at the end of the 2022 regular season, when Buxton was sidelined after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to address season-long issues in his right knee and Polanco needed time into the offseason to recover from left knee tendinitis.
They have both been progressing toward game action at their own pace -- and on schedule according to the Twins’ expectations -- while hitting and getting work done on the back fields. Falvey said their timeline for entry to Spring Training games will be dictated by how they continue to react to that progression.
“We're targeting Opening Day, for sure,” Falvey said. “Everything works back from there. Relying on our medical folks on what they think are the best next steps for [them]. But they're still telling us that's in play, barring anything changing. And both guys' feedback has been positive.”
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Kirilloff, on the other hand, has held back at times in his live hitting progression, Falvey said, as he continues a measured ramp-up from a second consecutive season-ending surgery on his right wrist, which has pained him since the 2021 season. Falvey did not yet make a commitment as to Kirilloff’s potential status for Opening Day.
“It's kind of a tolerance thing on a daily basis for him,” Falvey said. “He has, at times, wanted to cut back a little bit of the live [at-bats].”
The 25-year-old Kirilloff, once ranked as high as the No. 2 prospect in the organization, would have figured heavily into the Twins’ first-base plans, which could skew more heavily toward Donovan Solano and Joey Gallo, according to matchup considerations.
If Kirilloff isn’t ready for Opening Day, that could open a roster spot for Trevor Larnach, who could factor into the corner outfield and designated hitter conversations.
Worth noting
Carlos and Daniella Correa announced the birth of their second son, Kenzo Noak Correa, via an Instagram post on Saturday. Correa has been away from Twins camp since Wednesday.