Correa (finger) to 10-day IL: 'Got to be smart about it'

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins were hoping that Carlos Correa could avoid the injured list. The shortstop himself hoped for that even more so that he could face his old Astros teammates during the series at Target Field.

But ultimately, the stars didn't align for the shortstop to make such a quick recovery, and the Twins placed Correa on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a bruised right middle finger. Correa hopes to return to the club in time for the upcoming road trip through Oakland and Kansas City.

Because Correa's placement on the IL is retroactive to last Friday, he'll be eligible for activation on Monday, when the Twins open a three-game series at the Oakland Coliseum.

"I don't think I'll be ready for at least three, four more days," Correa said. "So, it's just the smart decision. Get another body on the bench that can go out there and help the team win. Right now, me on the bench, I'm not able to put the cleats on. It's not helping the team."

There weren’t any setbacks in Correa's condition, and this is still a better outcome than if there had been a fracture in the finger after he was hit by a pitch during last Thursday's series finale in Baltimore. Instead, it's more a matter of the bone bruise in his finger taking slightly longer to heal than expected.

Correa tried to hit and throw during the Twins' off-day on Monday, but he found he couldn't without experiencing pain. He'll continue to undergo treatment and hopes to come off the IL after the minimum stint.

"That's what we're hoping for," Correa said. "Obviously, we've got to see how it keeps healing. But I'll take a week or 10 days over 8-10 weeks. ... I've got to be smart about it."

The Twins are still plenty covered at shortstop, with this injury likely affording them a longer look at Minnesota’s No. 1 prospect, Royce Lewis, who is 3-for-10 in Correa's stead with a hit in each of his three big league starts entering Tuesday. Nick Gordon and Jorge Polanco are able to provide additional depth at the position.