Sands was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday, Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.
Sands wasn't going to be available for a couple days after needing 50 pitches to get through a two-inning relief outing Sunday. The Twins are expected to recall Louie Varland from St. Paul to replace Sands in the bullpen.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
Sands was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul on Saturday.
Sands appeared in four games for the Saints after he was demoted July 28, throwing 5.1 shutout innings with 10 strikeouts. He'll work in a long relief role again with the Twins after Brent Headrick was sent to Triple-A after throwing 67 pitches over 3.1 relief innings in Friday's loss to the Phillies.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Minnesota optioned Sands to Triple-A St. Paul on Friday.
Sands has posted a 4.50 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 14:9 K:BB in 14 innings of relief this season at the major-league level. Jorge Polanco (hamstring) is back from the injured list in a corresponding roster move.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Makes return from IL
Rotowire
The Twins reinstated Sands (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list Wednesday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Sands showed that the shoulder impingement that landed him on the IL was fully behind him during a pair of rehab appearances last week at Triple-A St. Paul, as he tossed three scoreless frames while striking out six and allowing just two baserunners between those outings. He'll likely settle back into a multi-inning or long-relief role out of the Minnesota bullpen now that he's back in action after a month-long absence.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Begins rehab assignment
Rotowire
Sands (shoulder) is beginning a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.
Sands had posted a 0.73 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 12.1 innings of relief for the Twins before he landed on the injured list in early June due to a right shoulder impingement. He could be an option again for the Minnesota bullpen sometime next week.
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Twins' Cole Sands: To begin throwing
Rotowire
Sands (shoulder) is set to begin throwing off a mound this week, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Sands landed on the injured list on June 4 due to a right shoulder impingement. He'll likely need to go on a rehab assignment before returning. It wouldn't be surprising to see him activated and sent to Triple-A as he's mostly served as a long reliever in the majors.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Placed on 15-day IL
Rotowire
The Twins placed Sands on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a right shoulder impingement.
Sands had not worked in a game since May 30 after throwing 2.1 scoreless frames against the Astros. The right-hander will be out for two-plus weeks while he recovers, and the Twins reinstated Caleb Thielbar (oblique) off the 15-day IL in a corresponding move.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Called up from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Twins recalled Sands from Triple-A St. Paul on Saturday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Sands made the Twins' Opening Day roster but got into just two games before being demoted in mid-April. He returns nearly a month later with Dereck Rodriguez optioned to Triple-A.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Sands was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul on Friday.
Sands has appeared in two games with the Twins so far in 2023, surrendering one run on six hits, including a homer, while striking out three batters over four innings. It seems likely that the 25-year-old will get another shot with Minnesota at some point this season, but for now Louie Varland was called up from Triple-A and will replace him on the major-league roster.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Looks set to make bullpen
Rotowire
Sands looks set to make the Opening Day roster for the Twins as a long reliever, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Danny Coulombe and Bailey Ober were sent to Triple-A, which makes it almost certain Sands will begin the season in the majors. Manager Rocco Baldelli said he wants to keep a long reliever in the bullpen, so Sands will fill that role. Despite a 5.55 ERA at Triple-A last season, Sands was called up to the majors several times thanks to a strong strikeout rate (10.5 K/9).
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Twins' Cole Sands: Four-inning save
Rotowire
Sands picked up a four-inning save in Wednesday's 10-1 victory over the White Sox. He allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out one.
Sands entered the game with Minnesota up 10-0 in the sixth inning, and he pitched well, holding the White Sox to just one unearned run over four innings. The strong effort earned Sands the four-inning save, which was the first of his young career. Through 30.2 innings in the big leagues this season, Sands was 0-3 with a 5.87 ERA and 28 strikeouts.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Rejoins team for finale
Rotowire
The Twins recalled Sands from Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday.
Sands will give the Twins a fresh arm out of the bullpen behind starter Louie Varland in Wednesday's season finale. Minnesota optioned Simeon Woods Richardson to Triple-A to clear room on the active roster for Sands.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Moves down to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Twins optioned Sands to Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Minnesota will replace Sands in the bullpen with a fresh arm in Jharel Cotton, whose contract was selected from Triple-A in a corresponding move. Sands worked 3.1 innings in relief of Chris Archer (pectoral) -- who was placed on the injured list Sunday -- in Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Guardians, giving up three earned runs on two hits and five walks.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Activated by Minnesota
Rotowire
Sands (elbow) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list Thursday, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.
Sands spent the last two weeks on the injured list with an elbow issue but recently made a pair of rehab appearances at Triple-A St. Paul. The right-hander posted a 1.29 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in seven innings over four appearances for the Twins in August.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Starts up rehab assignment
Rotowire
Sands (elbow) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday and made his second appearance for the affiliate Sunday, covering 2.2 innings while allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two.
Sands wasn't quite as sharp Sunday as he was during his first appearance four days earlier, when he gave up one earned run on two hits and no walks over two innings. The right-hander will likely get at least two days to rest up before the Twins decide whether to have him make another rehab outing or make his return from the 15-day injured list. He'll work as a long reliever out of the bullpen whenever he's activated.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
Sands was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow contusion Wednesday, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
Sands was hit in the elbow by a comebacker during Tuesday's loss to the Astros, and the issue will force him to miss at least two weeks. It's not yet clear when he'll be able to return, but Devin Smeltzer was recalled Wednesday to take his place on the active roster.
Sands exited Tuesday's loss to the Astros after being struck in the upper right arm by a comebacker, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
The 24-year-old followed starter Aaron Sanchez and allowed a run on four hits with three strikeouts and zero walks over two innings before being hit by the comebacker. Sands threw 38 pitches and was likely to be unavailable for a day or two regardless of the injury due to the workload, and he should be considered day-to-day for now.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Called up by Minnesota
Rotowire
Sands was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul on Friday.
The 25-year-old was demoted to St. Paul in mid-June but will return to the big-league club Friday. Sands received his first taste of MLB action this year and has an 8.82 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and 18:7 K:BB across 16.1 innings.
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Twins' Cole Sands: Headed back to minors
Rotowire
The Twins optioned Sands to Triple-A St. Paul on Monday.
Minnesota is expected to get Joe Ryan (illness) back from the COVID-19-related injured list and Sonny Gray (pectoral) from the 15-day injured list this week, so the team had no need to keep Sands around as a No. 5 starter. Sands has made five appearances (three starts) with the big club this season, going 0-3 with an 8.82 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and 18:7 K:BB across 16.1 innings. He should slot back into the Triple-A rotation upon his return to St. Paul.
