After a week in limbo at his Charlotte home forced by the Baltimore Orioles’ decision to designate him for assignment last week, “I’m excited to be here. This is an opportunity to show the team that they’re not going to regret the decision,” the 30-year-old lefthander said. “I’ve got a little fire under my butt, and there’s some opportunity here to provide some innings where they’re needed. They’ve got a good team and an opportunity to get into the postseason. To be able to help in that way is awesome.”
It’s probably a bullpen role behind those young pitchers, but Irvin, who has made 93 career starts, including 16 this year, wouldn’t mind starting a game if Baldelli deems it necessary.
He’s not playoff-eligible, which disappoints him because he assumed all season he would pitch in the postseason for the Orioles.
“But it’s a new ballclub, new surroundings, time to make some new friends. I’m going to bring the energy, going to be positive, and make as many new friends as I can in a very short period of time,” Irvin said. “And then once it becomes the postseason, when we get there, it’s going to be a lot of cheerleader work on my end.”
The tendinitis in Max Kepler’s left knee has healed. But late last week, he began experiencing soreness in his hip and groin, which has delayed his return to action.
“Max requested to get that reviewed by another doctor,” said Derek Falvey, the Twins’ president of baseball operations, and a magnetic resonance imaging test was done. The doctor “decided that the best thing to do was get a cortisone injection, which he got [Monday], and he has felt better ever since.”