Casilla
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Twins will send second baseman Alexi Casilla on a rehab assignment Monday, and he could be back with the team for the beginning of a 14-game road trip later in the week.
Casilla has been out since he tore a ligament in his right thumb on July 28, and he was initially resigned to having season-ending surgery. He has recovered quickly, however. After playing two games with Class A Beloit, he will rejoin the Twins if all goes well.
"He's feeling great. He seems to think that this is going to be all he needs," manager Ron Gardenhire said before Sunday's game against Seattle.
After starting the season in the minors, Casilla was called up as an injury fill-in in May and within two weeks took over as a fixture in the second spot in the lineup. He was batting .313 with 38 runs, 15 doubles, four homers and 39 RBIs with a .351 on-base percentage in 243 at-bats before he got hurt.
The Twins went 38-25 from the day Casilla become the regular second baseman until the injury. Gardenhire said when Casilla returns Nick Punto will probably play more at shortstop and share time there with Adam Everett.
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