NEW YORK — A day later, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was still marveling over the fact that Kyle Farmer managed to escape a fracture after taking a 91.6 mph fastball to the face on Wednesday afternoon.
His lip, well, that’s a different story.
“He’s a handsome guy and all that,” Baldelli said. “The scar is probably going to be there. It’s significant. I don’t know if we’re going to be able to hide that one.”
The Twins officially placed the infielder on the 10-day injured list on Thursday, selecting the contract of outfielder Kyle Garlick and transferring Gilberto Celestino (thumb) to the 60-day IL to make room for Garlick on the 40-man roster.
For now, there is no timeline for Farmer’s return, but Baldelli said the infielder appeared to be “in fairly good spirits.”
“He’s texting everybody, He’s talking about the game,” Baldelli said. “ … All things considered, what he went through was beyond horrible and I think he’s probably missing everyone already. Luckily, his wife is there with him right now, so he has her there and (her company) and someone to help him because he’s going to need some help for a little while.”
Farmer had the lacerations on his lower lip sutured on Wednesday and four of his bottom teeth were reset in the aftermath of the hit by pitch, which came during the fourth inning of the Twins’ 3-1 win over the White Sox.
“Thankful that nothing is broken, but still very swollen,” Farmer wrote on his Instagram account. “I can’t wait to get back out there with the guys and win some more games!”
Julien leads off
Edouard Julien didn’t get much sleep Tuesday night, buzzing with the knowledge that he would soon be making his major league debut the next day. A 4 a.m. wake up call for a flight from Indianapolis to the Twin Cities didn’t help much, either.
After a playing in his first major league game Wednesday, the 23-year-old had yet another new experience: his first charter flight.
His review?
“Good, comfy seats,” he said.
Julien crashed at around 11 p.m. upon getting to New York and on Thursday led off ahead of Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton, impressive for his second game in the big leagues but not too surprising given his keen eye at the plate.
And he sure delivered on, collecting his first career hit and later his first career home run in the same inning. His single was the beginning of a nine-run first inning for the Twins on Thursday.
He did so not too far away from home — Québec City — in front of a collection of friends and family members that he said was around 22-25 people.
“Every night that I have family in town or just friends, I’m trying to put on a show for them,” he said. “And I have a little more extra pressure, because I’m not only playing in front of people I don’t know, I’m playing in front of friends. It’s always cool to do well in front of them. Most of them, it was the first time seeing me play because they’re from Quebec. They don’t get to go to United States a lot just to watch me play. It was a great night.”
Julien collected both of the balls and presented them to his father after the game, a decision that he called a “no-brainer.”
“He’s been believing in me, just a little kid from Québec City. And he’s been pushing me every way he know how to in baseball,” Julien said. “He’s pushing me to be a better person, a better hitter and a better player. Today, I’m in the big leagues, I get the first hit, all the emotion he’s been through. I was just trying to give it to my dad.”
Maeda skipped
The Twins have opted to skip Kenta Maeda’s next turn in the rotation, which was scheduled for Saturday. Instead, they will recall Louie Varland, who will start on Friday at Yankee Stadium. Tyler Mahle will be pushed back a day to Saturday.
Baldelli said Maeda was “doing fine,” and does not need a stint on the injured list but they wanted to give him some extra rest as he returns from a season away. Maeda had Tommy John surgery in September 2021 and missed all of last season.
“I would say he’s dealing with some general fatigue right now. That includes his arm, but he’s not dealing with anything acute or anything like that,” Baldelli said. “Yes, that is part of it, but we just think it’s prudent and wise and the right thing to do this.”
The Twins will need to make a corresponding move to add Varland to the roster before Friday’s game.
Briefly
Baldelli said he believed Max Kepler (knee) would come off the injured list and return this weekend while the team is in New York. Kepler is eligible to come off the IL on Saturday. … The Twins acquired infielder Alex De Goti from the Miami Marlins for cash considerations on Thursday. He will join the Saints.
