Injury updates: Paddack eyeing early October, Correa and Kepler 'getting close'

Three injured Twins are trending closer to returns as the season winds down.

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Chris Paddack (20) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on July 14, 2024. / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Twins right-hander Chris Paddack threw a 20-pitch bullpen of fastballs and changeups Friday for the first time since landing on the injured list on July 20 due to a right forearm strain. Paddack said he feels “great” and has a goal set of returning by the first playoff series in early October.

Paddack, 28, feels confident he’ll get there. He said he still will need medical clearance and decisions will begin to fall into place during the Twins’ next homestand — their final two series of the season — when they host the Miami Marlins from Sept. 24-26 and the Baltimore Orioles from Sept. 27-29 at Target Field in Minneapolis. Then the playoffs are right around the corner. 

“I can have all the goals and dreams I want, but obviously our staff here and our trainers and just our front office in general, they want what’s best for Chris Paddack,” Paddack said. “And at the end of the day, I could say next homestand I want to push and be ready to go for Baltimore or something like that, a little redemption from the beginning of the season, but if they want me to be ready for October, then that’s — I’ll just nod my head and say, ‘Alright, I’ll be ready.’”

All 17 of Paddack’s appearances this season have been starts, but if Paddack is able to get back in time for October, he’ll be pitching out of the bullpen, just like last postseason. Paddack said there just isn’t enough time to build up to five innings by then, though he didn’t rule out being able to get there by the World Series, should the Twins be able to put together a deep playoff run. 

Paddack has a 4.99 earned-run average and 17 strikeouts across 88 1/3 innings this season. 

But the goal for Paddack ultimately has been to get ready and be able to pitch by October. 

“I made it clear to them, like, ‘Hey, this progression needs to be for October,’” Paddack said. “But, you know, I’ve been injured more than I would like in my career to where I also know I don’t want to just pitch one October, I want to pitch in multiple.”

A lot will come into focus on Saturday when Paddack sees how he feels after the bullpen. Then it will just be a couple-week wait for the next homestand when they'll finalize decisions.

Paddack’s injured Twins teammates — shortstop Carlos Correa and right fielder Max Kepler — both took live batting practice again on Friday, and Twins manager Rocco Baldelli expressed optimism they could be activated in the near future, though no decisions have been made yet. 

“I can’t tell you that it’s imminent, but (Correa and Kepler) out there right now hitting live BP,” Baldelli said before Friday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. “You know, we’re in the process of making those calls and seeing what those timelines look like, but I think we’re getting close.”