Topa will open Saturday's game against Atlanta, Phil Miller of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Topa has given up just one run in 6.2 innings this season, and he'll now be tasked with facing the top of Atlanta's lineup Saturday in what will be the first start of his major-league career. The 34-year-old righty will likely remain in the game for just one inning before handing things over to Simeon Woods Richardson, who is due to pitch in bulk relief.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Returns to action
Rotowire
Topa (shoulder) worked one inning of relief in Monday's 4-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Pirates, striking out two while giving up an earned run on one hit.
Topa made his first Grapefruit League appearance since March 6, when he exited that game due to shoulder tightness. He made an appearance in a minor-league game Friday and checked out fine, prompting the Twins to include him back on the Grapefruit League pitching schedule. Topa will look to re-establish himself as a key setup man for Minnesota in 2025 after throwing just 2.1 innings last season due to a left knee injury.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Slated to pitch Monday
Rotowire
Topa (shoulder) is scheduled to pitch in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Topa exited his most recent Grapefruit League appearance back on March 6 due to right shoulder tightness, but he seems to be feeling fine after throwing 22 pitches Friday in a minor-league game on the back fields of camp. Assuming his appearance Monday goes without a hitch, Topa could avoid a stint on the injured list to begin the season.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Throws bullpen session
Rotowire
Topa (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Tuesday, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Topa left last Wednesday's game due to right shoulder tightness. He said the move was largely precautionary, and he did not require an MRI. Topa expects to throw again Friday. While he's making progress in his recovery, it's not clear if he'll be ready for Opening Day.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Won't need MRI on shoulder
Rotowire
Topa is dealing with right shoulder tightness, but he has not needed an MRI, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Topa left Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles due to right shoulder tightness. This doesn't sound like a serious injury, but it could land him on the injured list to begin the season as he works his way back into regular season form.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Dealing with shoulder discomfort
Rotowire
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said that Topa was removed from Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles due to right shoulder tightness, Bobby Nightengale of The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Topa served up a home run and tossed just seven pitches before meeting with a trainer on the mound and then getting pulled from the contest. Baldelli said Topa's shoulder will be further evaluated Thursday, and while the skipper is hopeful that the right-hander isn't dealing with anything overly serious, it could affect his availability for Opening Day. The 33-year-old has had rotten luck on the injury front during his career, having missed most of the 2024 season due to torn patella tendon in his right knee and having previously required a flexor tendon surgery and two Tommy John surgeries for his elbow.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Leaves with apparent injury
Rotowire
Topa was removed from Wednesday's Cactus League appearance against the Orioles with an apparent injury, Bobby Nightengale of The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Topa threw only seven pitches in the outing, and he surrendered a solo home run while showing diminished velocity. The reliever made just three appearances for the Twins in 2024 while dealing with knee and elbow problems. His status should be updated by the club in the near future.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Avoids arbitration with Minnesota
Rotowire
Topa agreed to a one-year deal with the Twins on Friday to avoid arbitration.
Topa started the 2024 regular season on the Twins' 15-day injured list due to left patellar tendinitis, and he was transferred to the 60-day IL in late May after an MRI revealed a small tear in his left patellar tendon. Topa managed to return from the injured list Sept. 25, and across three outings he threw 2.1 scoreless innings while striking out two batters and allowing one hit. The 33-year-old right-hander should be good to go for spring training.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Returns from injured list
Rotowire
The Twins reinstated Topa (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
Topa has been on the injured list all season while working his way back from a torn patellar tendon he suffered during spring training and an elbow issue that appeared during a rehab assignment in August. He surrendered three earned runs over two innings after restarting his minor-league assignment Friday, and he's now been given the green light to return to Minnesota's bullpen for the team's final playoff push. Given the amount of time he's missed, the 33-year-old righty will likely be limited to middle relief. Cole Irvin was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Feels ready to return
Rotowire
Topa (knee/elbow) said Tuesday that he feels ready to return after making two rehab appearances with Triple-A St. Paul, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Topa allowed three runs in the first of those outings before bouncing back with two strikeouts in a scoreless frame in the second appearance. He's been out all season, first while recovering from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee and more recently due to right elbow inflammation. While Topa appears healthy now, it's unclear how eager the Twins would be to throw him into action during the final week of the season when they're pushing for a playoff spot.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Throwing bullpen sessions
Rotowire
Topa (knee/elbow) threw 30 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday, MLB.com reports. It was his third bullpen session in the past week.
Topa hopes to face live hitters in a few days and then try to pitch in a rehab game with Triple-A St. Paul in late September. Topa still hopes to pitch in the majors this season, but he still has several more steps to go. Topa has resided on the injured list all season, first while recovering from a torn patellar tendon in his left knee before being pulled off a rehab assignment in August due to right elbow inflammation.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Resumes playing catch
Rotowire
Topa (knee) has resumed playing catch, Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Topa missed the first four months of the season due to a tear in the patellar tendon of his left knee. He began a rehab assignment July 23 but was shut down Aug. 10 due to right elbow inflammation. Topa remains optimistic that he can return this season, but he still likely has several weeks of building up his throwing before he could start a rehab assignment.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Setback while playing catch
Rotowire
Topa (elbow) had a setback when he experienced soreness while playing catch, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Topa missed the first four months of the season due to a tear in the patellar tendon of his left knee. He began a rehab assignment July 23 but was shut down Aug. 10 due to right elbow inflammation. It seems unlikely that he'll be able to return from the injured list before the regular season ends. although the Twins haven't officially ruled it out.
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Twins' Justin Topa: MRI shows elbow inflammation
Rotowire
An MRI on Topa's right elbow showed inflammation, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Topa had his minor league rehab assignment shut down Saturday after experiencing tightness in his right arm. The right-hander has been on assignment since July 23 as part of his recovery from a tear in the patellar tendon of his left knee. He's yet to make his 2024 major league debut. Topa says he shouldn't be out too long, but it's not clear he'll even be able to return this season.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Pulled from rehab stint
Rotowire
Topa (knee) was returned from his minor-league rehab assignment Saturday, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Topa has shown decreased velocity recently, and it's been revealed that he's been battling arm fatigue. The right-hander has been on assignment since July 23 as part of his recovery from a tear in the patellar tendon of his left knee. He's yet to make his 2024 debut. While it's unclear how far the arm fatigue will set him back, Topa shouldn't be expected back any time soon.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Not ready to return from IL
Rotowire
Topa (knee) has thrown six scoreless innings at Triple-A St. Paul during his current rehab assignment, but the Twins aren't yet to activate him from the injured list while he's shown decreased velocity in the minors, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
It's telling that the Twins have not activated Topa from the IL despite several injuries on the pitching staff in the past week. Topa hasn't pitched in the majors this season due to a small tear in the patellar tendon of his left knee, which required a platelet-rich plasma injection in mid-May. He started a rehab assignment July 23. It's not clear how much longer he'll need at Triple-A, or what kind of progress he'll need to show to be activated.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Sent on assignment
Rotowire
Topa (knee) will start a rehab assignment with Single-A Fort Myers on Tuesday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.
Topa hasn't played in 2024 due to a tear in the patellar tendon of his left knee, but he'll see his first in-game action since being returned from a rehab assignment in early May. The reliever will likely need several rehab appearances before being activated, and it's likely he won't be back in action until August.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Throws bullpen session
Rotowire
Topa (knee) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session Wednesday and is expected to throw again Saturday, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Topa has been out all season with a small tear in the patellar tendon of his left knee and had a platelet-rich plasma injection in mid-May. He still will likely need to throw several more bullpen sessions before he can go out on a rehab assignment.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Throwing bullpen sessions
Rotowire
Topa (knee) will throw two bullpen sessions this week, Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Topa has been out all season with a small tear in the patellar tendon of his left knee, but he seems to be inching closer to a return. The reliever will need to face hitters and make a handful of rehab appearances before a clear return date can come into focus.
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Twins' Justin Topa: Set to throw bullpen session
Rotowire
Topa (left patellar tear) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session next week, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
The right-hander was diagnosed with a small tear in the patellar tendon of his left knee in mid-May. It's his first sign of progress since the injury and he likely has several more weeks of throwing before he can begin a rehab assignment. He could return in late July if all goes well.
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