Twins at Blue Jays
Ervin Santana has traveled a winding road in his bid to return from a lengthy absence due to surgery to remove calcium deposits from his right middle finger in February. The veteran right-hander will be activated off the disabled list to make his season debut on Wednesday as the Minnesota Twins (46-53) bid for a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays (46-54) at Rogers Centre.
"It was a lot of ups and downs, but the good thing is I kept my mind positive," Santana said. "It's crazy. But at the same time, it was a surgery. You can't predict when you're coming back because you didn't know how the finger was going to react and all that." Eduardo Escobar, who is riding a five-game hitting streak, belted a three-run homer in Tuesday's 5-0 romp to improve to 4-for-7 with three extra-base hits and five RBIs in the series. While Minnesota has answered a three-game slide with back-to-back victories, Toronto has mustered just three runs in consecutive losses after erupting for 17 in a three-game sweep of Baltimore. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. carries a streak of seven straight multi-hit performances into Wednesday's series finale.
TV: 4:07 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), Sportsnet (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Ervin Santana (2017: 16-8, 3.28 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Sam Gaviglio (2-3, 4.59)
Santana is expected to give Minnesota a jolt after allowing one run over six innings in a rehab start on Friday to drop his ERA to 3.72 in seven starts at three levels in the minors. "I would think that Ervin walking into a clubhouse would be a lift, just in itself," Twins manager Paul Molitor said of the 35-year-old. Santana, who owns a 6-7 mark with a 3.84 ERA in 19 career starts against Toronto, has flustered Yangervis Solarte (1-for-15) and Kendrys Morales (4-for-19, four strikeouts).
Gaviglio saw his winless skid reach 10 outings on Friday after allowing four runs on seven hits over a career-high 7 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the Orioles. The 28-year-old was taken deep on two occasions versus Baltimore and 12 times in his last 11 outings. Joe Mauer is 3-for-5 in his career against Gaviglio, but the hurler has limited the rest of the current crop of Twins to just a 3-for-28 performance at the plate.
WALK-OFFS
1. Solarte is 4-for-11 with three extra-base hits (two doubles, homer) and four RBIs in his last three games after going 0-for-18 in his previous four.
2. Minnesota LF Eddie Rosario has scored at least one run in 10 straight contests.
3. Blue Jays SS Aledmys Diaz is considered day-to-day despite missing his last two games with a left thumb injury.