As the Minnesota Twins compete in the thick of the American League wild card race, they'll now be without their most important player for the next 10-plus days. On Sunday, Minnesota placed third baseman Miguel Sano on the disabled list due to a stress reaction in his shin.
While it's not known exactly when Sano suffered the injury, he looked slow when going to first base on a double play ball on Saturday and came out of the game after. While initially some wondered if he was pulled for discipline after not running full speed, the team later announced the shin injury caused his exit from the game.
While Sano has cooled off in the second half of the season, the 24-year-old third baseman is still in the midst of a career season. Sano's 28 home runs, 75 runs scored and 77 RBIs all represent career highs in his third season in the majors. While Sano leads baseball in strikeouts, the third baseman also holds a career-best 11.4 walk percentage.
It's not yet known how long Sano will be sidelined, but any extended absence could be a substantial blow to Minnesota's playoff hopes. A corresponding move will be announced by the team tomorrow.