DETROIT -- Miguel Sano was back in the Twins' lineup Tuesday night against the Tigers for the first time since Sept. 4, when he injured his lower left leg sliding into second base. Sano said that it's important for him to finish this season on a high note, but he also laid out some of what he'll be doing in the offseason to prepare his body for 2019.
Part of Sano's goal when he gets home to the Dominican Republic after the season is to drop some of the weight that has been plaguing him in 2018 and be in shape for Spring Training.
After being selected to the All-Star Game in 2017, Sano spent much of the offseason unable to condition himself following surgery on his left shin. As a result, the third baseman showed up to Spring Training this season overweight. In June, Sano was sent to Class A Advanced Fort Myers to condition, and to fix his swing.
Sano said the Twins haven't given him a diet or workout plan for the offseason yet.
"I've got my people to check out that stuff for me," Sano said. "For me next year, I'll be OK. I'll lose weight and get in better shape. I know who I am and what I can do."
Whether Sano's offseason includes playing winter ball is unclear. He said if he's in good enough shape by December, winter ball would be a possibility.
Either way, Sano will be working with his trainer to get his weight down to around 255 pounds. Sano even mentioned 245 pounds as a goal, prompting a chuckle from manager Paul Molitor.
"Was that in English or Spanish?" Molitor asked jokingly. "The actual number gets a lot of attention. Just do what you need to do to put yourself in a position to be successful. I'm not worried about coming in at [a certain weight]."
Sano spoke highly of his teammates and the Twins at every turn, but the long-term implications of good health are also personal for the 25-year-old.
"I want to spend my whole life at third," Sano said. "I want to play third base for a long time."
Rosario's 2018 may be over
Molitor couldn't say Tuesday whether Eddie Rosario will be shut down for the remainder of the season, but he won't push the left fielder to make a return to the field with so few games remaining.
"He's sore," Molitor said. "… I don't know about the chance of him playing again. I don't think it's anything that we want to push too far. If he gets well and he has a chance, we would consider it, but I'm certainly not going to push for it."
Rosario aggravated his right quad Monday night when fielding a single in left field in the Twins' 6-1 win over the Tigers. It was just his second game playing the field since coming back from the same injury on Sept. 7.

Molitor suggested there won't be any additions to the roster to replace Rosario. Johnny Field, who replaced Rosario on Monday, got the start in left field Tuesday.
Garver's timetable still unclear
Mitch Garver's possible return to the lineup hit a snag on Monday, according to Molitor, when his concussion-like symptoms were worse than the day before. But Molitor added that Tuesday was a better day for Garver, who has been out since taking a foul ball off the mask last Wednesday.

"It's kind of the unknown of good day, bad day when you're dealing with these things," Molitor said. "He's doing a little better today, but I don't see anything baseball-wise happening here, at least through the weekend. We're getting down to the end with him too, as far as what he's going to be able to do before [the end of the season]."