Twins Place Outfielder On IL With Wrist Problem

Seen last season as a premier top-flight prospect, Minnesota Twins outfielder Alex Kirilloff is off to a dreadful start this season, and now to add injury to insult, he's back on the injured list with a recurrence of a wrist problem that plagued him last year. 

Kiriloff having wrist issues again is a bad omen. @dohyoungpark says it's the fifth time in his career he's been on the IL (minors too) with wrist problems.

— Brian Hall (@MNBrianHall) April 13, 2022

It's the 5th time in his career, including the minors, that he's been placed on the IL with wrist injuries. It derailed what was a promising start after his call-up last season, as he had season-ending wrist surgery in July. This year Kirilloff was hitting just .059 (1 for 17) with 7 strikeouts and no walks, before succumbing to it once again.

Alex Kirilloff says the wrist pain feels "definitely similar" to what he felt last year and he never reached a point where he was swinging totally pain-free after surgery.

"This is just one long, continuous puzzle to try to figure out, so just try to put the pieces together."

— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) April 13, 2022

Kirilloff says he's never been totally pain-free since the surgery last year, and "this is just one long, continuous puzzle to try to figure out, so just try to put the pieces together."

He was a first round pick (15th) by the Twins in the 2016 June amateur draft. The 24-year-old's future, as of now, seems to be in doubt until he can get this wrist thing straightened out. 

To replace Kirilloff, the Twins called up outfielder Trevor Larnach, also a former first-round pick by the Twins (20th overall, in 2018). He hit .223 with a .672 OPS in his first taste of the big leagues last season. 

Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports