Twins' Jose Miranda: Likely to open season at hot corner
Rotowire
Miranda could be primed to see the bulk of the starts at third base for the Twins to begin the season with both Royce Lewis (hamstring) and Brooks Lee (back) headed for the injured list, Phil Miller of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
After Lewis suffered a moderate hamstring strain March 16, Miranda already appeared in good shape to see near-everyday at-bats while seeing reps at third base, first base and designated hitter, but the back injury Lee sustained last week only further increases the need for Miranda to fill in at the hot corner. The Twins also have super-utility man Willi Castro on hand to play third, but the injury to Lee as well as Edouard Julien's defensive deficiencies likely make Castro in greater need at second base. After Lewis got injured Opening Day of last season, Miranda stepped in as his primary replacement and posted an .852 OPS over his first 90 games with the Twins, but he struggled down the stretch while also managing a back injury and finished with a .284/.322/.441 slash line in 429 plate appearances. If Miranda can recapture the form he displayed in the first half of the 2024 campaign, he should be in good shape to hold down a regular spot in the lineup at DH or first base once Lewis and Lee are back to full health.
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Twins' Jose Miranda: Could be primary DH
Rotowire
Miranda will likely be the primary DH For the Twins this season but should also get playing time at first base and third base, Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. He started at first base in his spring debut Sunday and went 1-for-2.
Miranda should get almost everyday playing time between the three positions as the Twins are likely to rotate players to give them off days. He looks healthy after he struggled the final six weeks last season, hitting .202 with a .491 OPS in his last 30 games, in part due to a back injury that required an IL stint.
The Twins placed Miranda on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a lower-back strain.
With only two games left in the regular season and the Twins out of the running for a playoff spot, Miranda's move to the IL will rule him out for the rest of 2024. The 26-year-old will finish the season with a .284/.322/.441 slash line alongside nine home runs and 49 RBI across 429 plate appearances. Michael Helman was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move.
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Twins' Jose Miranda: Not in Friday's lineup
Rotowire
Miranda (back) remains out of the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Orioles.
Miranda had to be scratched from Thursday's lineup due to lower-back tightness and evidently still isn't feeling well enough to play. The Twins have Ryan Jeffers at designated hitter and Christian Vazquez at catcher in the series opener.
Miranda was scratched from the lineup ahead of Thursday's game against the Marlins due to lower-back tightness, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
The severity of Miranda's injury remains unknown, but it's apparently enough to cause him to sit down for the third time in Minnesota's last four games. In his absence, Royce Lewis will now serve as the Twins' designated hitter while Willi Castro moves to third base and Austin Martin enters the lineup to play left field.
Twins' Jose Miranda: Sits for third time in four games
Rotowire
Miranda is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds,
On the bench for the third time in four games against a right-hander, Miranda looks as though he'll have to settle for more of a part-time role after the Twins recently welcomed Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa back from the injured list. Miranda should still have a regular spot in the lineup against left-handed pitching.
Miranda is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Angels.
Miranda will hit the bench after he had started in each of the Twins' first 10 games of September while slashing .268/.268/.341. Though he's not locked into a full-time role at any one spot in the Minnesota lineup, Miranda should continue to benefit from near-everyday playing time while moving between first base, third base and designated hitter.
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