Twins rookie Kendry Rojas scratched from start with elbow soreness

Twins rookie Kendry Rojas was scratched from his scheduled start against the Chicago White Sox due to elbow soreness, per Yahoo Sports, casting an immediate shadow over Minnesota's rotation picture before the first pitch was thrown.

What happened

Rojas, described by Yahoo Sports as an exciting rookie, did not take the mound as planned. Elbow soreness was cited as the reason for the scratch. No further diagnosis, timetable, or transaction detail accompanied the report — meaning this remains a reported scratch, not a club announcement, and the full picture of Rojas's condition is still incomplete.

In his place, Simeon Woods Richardson stepped in for a spot start. Per Yahoo Sports, the outing did not go especially well. Woods Richardson retired the first two batters of the game before issuing a walk to Miguel Vargas, who stole second and came around to score on a Colson Montgomery single. A double led off the second inning, though Woods Richardson escaped that frame without further damage, aided by a throw home from Tristan Gray. The White Sox won, with Davis Martin on the mound for Chicago — a pitcher Yahoo Sports described as a current AL Cy Young candidate.

Why it matters

Elbow soreness in a starting pitcher is the kind of phrase that earns its own category of dread. It is not a diagnosis, it is not a timetable, and it is not a transaction — but it is also not nothing. For a Twins club leaning on its younger arms to find something worth watching in a difficult season, Rojas's health carries real weight. Yahoo Sports framed the scratch with a notable lack of optimism, and the fact that a spot starter was needed on short notice suggests the decision was not made far in advance.

Under general league rules, pitchers who land on the injured list are subject to a 15-day minimum, which removes them from the active roster but does not affect the 40-man count unless a 60-day IL placement is made. None of that has been reported here — the material only covers a scratch, not any IL move — but it is the mechanical backdrop against which the Twins' next steps will play out.

The broader rotation context matters too. With Bailey Ober scheduled for Saturday at Pittsburgh and Zebby Matthews lined up for Sunday, the immediate rotation does not appear to include a Rojas slot this weekend. Whether that reflects a planned absence or simply the schedule is not something the available material answers.

Is Rojas expected to pitch this weekend?

Per verified data, the Twins' upcoming probable pitchers for their series at PNC Park are Taj Bradley on Friday, Bailey Ober on Saturday, and Zebby Matthews on Sunday. Rojas does not appear among those probables. What that means for his status beyond this weekend — whether he is being managed conservatively, whether an IL move is forthcoming, or whether he could return to a rotation slot next week — has not been reported.

Where the club stands

Minnesota enters the weekend at 77-85 (.475), sitting third in the AL Central and 8 games back in the division. The Wild Card picture is no more hospitable: the Twins rank 7th in Wild Card positioning, 7.0 games relative to the cut line. Per verified standings data, Minnesota has been eliminated from both the division race and the Wild Card race. They arrive at Pittsburgh riding a one-game winning streak — which, given the standings, functions more as a small mercy than a turning point.

Third place in the AL Central, eliminated from both the division and Wild Card races, and now managing an elbow concern for one of the more closely watched young arms on the roster — that is the operational reality the Twins carry into their weekend series at PNC Park.

Friday brings Taj Bradley against Pittsburgh's Jared Jones. Saturday is Bailey Ober versus Mitch Keller. Sunday closes the series with Zebby Matthews facing Braxton Ashcraft. It is a rotation that, whatever its other qualities, does not currently include Kendry Rojas — and the reason for that absence is the part still waiting for clarification.

The 77-85 record and the elimination from postseason contention mean the Twins are playing out a season rather than chasing one. That context does not make Rojas's elbow soreness less significant — if anything, it sharpens the question of what the organization learns from its younger players over the remaining schedule. A healthy Rojas pitching meaningful innings, even in a lost season, is information. An elbow concern that lingers is a different kind of information entirely.

What we don't know yet

The nature and severity of the elbow soreness has not been reported. No IL placement has been announced. No timetable for a return has been offered. Whether the Twins consider this a minor maintenance issue or something requiring further evaluation is not in the available material. Yahoo Sports reported the scratch and the reason; everything downstream of that remains open.

It is also worth noting that the spot-start arrangement — Woods Richardson stepping in on what sounds like relatively short notice — raises its own questions about how the Twins are managing their depth. Whether that depth is adequate for whatever comes next with Rojas is, again, not something the material answers.

What to watch

The most immediate thing to monitor is whether the Twins make a corresponding roster move in the coming days. Under general league rules, a pitcher placed on the 15-day IL would require a corresponding addition to the active roster — but no such move has been reported, and none should be assumed from what is currently available. If and when the club makes an announcement, that will be the moment the picture sharpens from "reported scratch due to elbow soreness" into something more definitive.

Beyond the transaction wire, watch for any update on Rojas's status heading into next week's schedule. The Pittsburgh series runs through Sunday, and the rotation beyond that has not been publicly mapped in the available material. If Rojas is expected to make his next start on schedule, the Twins will presumably say so.

For now: Rojas was scratched, elbow soreness was cited, and the rest is still being written.