Twins lose reliever Cole Sands to forearm strain

TL;DR

The Twins placed reliever Cole Sands on the 15-day injured list due to a forearm strain. This setback complicates their efforts to rebuild a struggling bullpen early in the season.

Key points

Cole Sands placed on 15-day injured list
Sands has a forearm strain
Twins bullpen ranks 27th in MLB
Sands was a reliable late-inning option
Twins allowed 70 runs in 111 innings

Cole SandsMinnesota TwinsToronto Blue JaysSeattle Mariners

The Twins traded away their best five relievers at the deadline last July and committed to building a new bullpen with young arms this season. So, it isn’t a total surprise that a month into the season, the Twins have some of the major leagues’ worst relief pitching.

That rebuild got harder Saturday morning when the Twins put veteran Cole Sands on the 15-day injured list with a forearm strain. The right-hander solidified himself as a reliable late-innings option in 2025, even before the fire sale, throwing 72 innings with 64 strikeouts against 19 walks.

“One of our leverage guys,” manager Derek Shelton said.

Before Saturday afternoon’s game against Toronto at Target Field, Twins relievers ranked 27th among 30 major league teams with a combined earned-run average of 5.03 and have allowed 114 hits and 70 runs in 111 innings.

Sands, 28, said he felt something odd while warming up during a 7-4 victory over Toronto at Target Field. Imaging taken Friday revealed the strain. His last appearance, he allowed two earned runs on three hits in two-third of an inning in a 7-1 loss to Seattle on April 26.

“It was probably some of the better news you could have got out of the (imaging),” Sands said. “So, (I’ll) just try and get back, try and get stronger out of it and bounce back from it and be ready to go the last couple months of the season.”

To take Sands’ place on the active roster, the Twins called up Brooklyn Park’s John Klein from Class AAA St. Paul to made him available to make his major league debut. It was a quick turnaround for the Osseo High grad; the Saints are playing Iowa at CHS Field this week.

Klein, 24, made seven appearances for the Saints, six of them starts, and will be available for long relief. In five seasons in the Twins’ system, he has fanned 306 batters in 288⅔ innings.

Shelton said Klein’s presence in the bullpen could move prospect Andrew Morris from a long to short role. In his first five major league appearances, Morris, 24, has allowed eight earned runs on 15 hits in over 11 innings.

Q&A

What caused Cole Sands to be placed on the injured list?

Cole Sands was placed on the injured list due to a forearm strain he felt while warming up.

How has the Twins bullpen performed this season?

The Twins bullpen ranks 27th in the majors with a combined earned-run average of 5.03, allowing 70 runs in 111 innings.

What impact does Cole Sands' injury have on the Twins' bullpen?

Sands' injury complicates the Twins' efforts to rebuild their bullpen, which has already been struggling this season.