- Day-To-DayWalker Janek (C) — Double-A Corpus Christi placed Janek on its 7-day injured list Sunday due to an unspecified injury.05/08
- Day-To-DayLucas Spence (OF) — Double-A Corpus Christi placed Spence on its 7-day injured list April 22 due to an unspecified injury.05/08
- 10-Day-ILJeremy Pena (SS) — Pena (hamstring/neck) rejoined the Astros on Sunday and will travel with the team for Monday's series opener in Minnesota, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.05/17
- 10-Day-ILJake Meyers (CF) — Meyers (oblique) is slated to begin a rehab assignment this week, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/11
- 10-Day-ILCarlos Correa (SS) — Correa is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday in Houston to repair the tendon in his left ankle, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.05/10
- 10-Day-ILJoey Loperfido (LF) — The Astros announced Monday that Loperfido (quadriceps) has started light running and light baseball activity, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILTaylor Trammell (CF) — The Astros announced Monday that Trammell (groin) has begun a running progression in addition to taking part in light baseball activity, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILYainer Diaz (C) — The Astros placed Diaz (oblique) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILNate Pearson (RP) — Pearson (elbow) is being built up as a reliever on his rehab assignment, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/11
- 15-Day-ILBennett Sousa (RP) — The Astros placed Sousa on the 15-day injured list Saturday with left elbow inflammation, retroactive to Wednesday, Julia Morales of Space City Home Network reports.05/09
- OutJose Altuve (2B) — Manager Joe Espada announced after Sunday's loss to the Rangers that Altuve was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left oblique strain and will be placed on the injured list, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.05/17
- 60-Day-ILHunter Brown (SP) — GM Dana Brown said Brown (shoulder) will throw live batting practice Tuesday before potentially beginning a rehab assignment, with the Astros targeting mid-June to activate him from the injured list, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.05/17
- 60-Day-ILJosh Hader (RP) — Astros manager Joe Espada said Saturday that Hader (biceps) will log at least five more rehab appearances before he's activated from the 60-day injured list, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.05/16
- 60-Day-ILHayden Wesneski (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Wesneski (elbow) is continuing to complete regular bullpen sessions as part of his throwing progression, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILRonel Blanco (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Blanco (elbow) is continuing to complete regular bullpen sessions as part of his throwing progression, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILBrandon Walter (SP) — The Astros placed Walter (elbow) on the 60-day injured list.05/08
- 60-Day-ILCristian Javier (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Javier (shoulder) will begin a throwing progression this week, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayByron Buxton (CF) — Buxton (hip) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers.05/17
- Day-To-DayCory Lewis (SP) — Twins head trainer Nick Paparesta said Thursday that Lewis (shoulder) is still a couple weeks away from throwing off a mound, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayJulian Merryweather (RP) — Merryweather (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the Twins' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday, Theodore Tollefson of ZoneCoverage.com reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayMatt Canterino (SP) — Canterino (shoulder) will be with the Twins in big-league spring training but isn't expected to pitch during camp as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayWalker Jenkins (CF) — Jenkins was diagnosed Monday with a Grade 2 AC joint sprain in his left shoulder and will be re-evaluated in 10 days, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILTaj Bradley (SP) — Bradley (pectoral) will embark on a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday, Audra Martin of FanDuel Sports Network North reports.05/16
- 15-Day-ILCody Laweryson (RP) — The Twins placed Laweryson (forearm) on the 15-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to Thursday.05/08
- 15-Day-ILGarrett Acton (RP) — The Twins placed Acton on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a right shoulder strain, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILCole Sands (RP) — Sands (shoulder) is beginning a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILMick Abel (SP) — Abel (elbow) was given a cortisone injection after feeling soreness in his right triceps following a simulated game Saturday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILDavid Festa (SP) — The Twins transferred Festa (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILPablo Lopez (SP) — The Twins placed Lopez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.05/08
The Tatsuya Imai experiment is not going well. The big-money signing from NPB carries a 9.24 ERA into Target Field after getting tagged for 6 runs in 4 innings by Seattle his last time out. Joe Espada confirmed Imai is making this start regardless — there's no one else to give the ball to with Brown, Blanco, Wesneski, Walter and Javier all on the IL. Kendry Rojas counters for Minnesota at 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA, which is the kind of pitching matchup the line is screaming about.
The Twins aren't exactly hitting on all cylinders themselves at 21-26, and Byron Buxton was out of Sunday's lineup with a hip issue that's worth monitoring before first pitch. Pablo Lopez and David Festa are both on the 60-day, so the rotation depth is thin here too — but at least the guy they're sending out tonight has been the best pitcher in this game by a country mile.
Pinnacle has Minnesota at -114 with the run line a coin flip at Twins -1 (+127) / Astros +1 (-143). The total sits at 9.5. Given Imai's ERA is essentially a bowling score and Houston is missing roughly half its starting position-player core, the market pricing the Astros at +106 on the moneyline feels generous to Houston, not Minnesota.
This is the kind of game where you squint at the Astros and try to find the angle — they've still got Yordan, they've still got Bregman if you're reading this from a parallel universe where he stayed, and they've won 3 of their last 5. But the rotation is held together with duct tape, the lineup is patchwork, and Rojas has been legit. Twins fans should feel decent about the opener.