Death, Taxes and MN Twins Bullpen Injuries Down in Fort Myers

The Minnesota Twins are down in Fort Myers preparing for the 2025 MLB season, which mostly means they’re just trying to get through spring training with as few injuries as possible, a goal that they’ve been somewhat successful at achieving, at least compared to past seasons.

But of course, the Twins haven’t fully escaped the injury bug down in Florida, especially when you look at the middle reliever talent they were hoping to lean on, before games reach backend bullpen staples, Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax.

Over the past 24 hours, Minnesota Twins injury updates have revealed injuries to RHP Brock Stewart, RHP Michael Tonkin and RHP Matt Canterino. While all three injuries have different severity, the overall health of the bullpen is becoming a bigger concern, as spring goes on.

Michael Tonkin, Brock Stewart injury updates

33-year-old Brock Stewart, who left his Friday Grapefruit league appearance vs the Boston Red Sox with a leg injury, has been diagnosed with a mild left hamstring strain. The good news is that he is expected to start throwing later this week.

Michael Tonkin, 35, came back to the Twins midseason 2024, pitching 13 impressive innings (2.13 ERA and 12.1 SO/9), but will not open the season on the 26-man roster, as he works his way back from a shoulder strain he suffered last week.

RHP Michael Tonkin (shoulder strain) will open the season on the IL, will remain in Fort Myers a few weeks to build up to pitch again.

RHP Brock Stewart has a mild left hamstring strain, but tested well today and should resume throwing later this week.

— Phil Miller (@MillerStrib) March 16, 2025

The update on Stewart is good news, though we have heard this type of story before, specifically with Stewart, whose season-ending injury in 2024 started out as something that was supposed to be minor. With this organization, take all early injury updates, diagnosis and timelines with a large grain of salt.

The Twins would really love to have Stewart on the Opening Day roster. His career in Minnesota has been marred by injury, including missing most of last season. But when he’s available, Brock Stewart has been nothing short of dominant. In 43 innings as a Twin, the Illinois State University alum has a 2.28 ERA, 2.78 FIP, 191 ERA+ and 12.3 SO/9.

Related: FanGraphs Extremely Confident Twins Reliever Will Return to Form

Tonkin played the first seasons of his MLB career with the Minnesota Twins (2013-2017), before spending 2018 in Japan. He returned to the Big Leagues in 2019, where he’s played for three other teams, the Braves, Yankees and Mets. Both guys project as major pieces of Minnesota’s bullpen this season.

Oft-injured Minnesota Twins reliever Matt Canterino going through it again

A spring training Minnesota Twins injury update would not be complete without mentioning Matt Canterino, their 27-year-old pitching prospect who’s brought a lot more hype during the course of his career than he has minor league production.

That’s saying something, being he has a 1.91 ERA, 0.859 WHIP and 13.8 SO/9 in 85 minor league innings between 2019 and 2022. Unfortunately, injuries have kept Canterino from the mound in each of the past two seasons. And now, he’ll miss a third-straight season, following surgery on his right shoulder.

RHP Matt Canterino underwent shoulder surgery in Dallas this week to “tighten” ligaments, Twins announce. He’ll miss the entire season for the third straight year.

— Phil Miller (@MillerStrib) March 16, 2025

There are less than ten days before the 2025 Minnesota Twins regular season begins on March 26 in St. Louis vs the Cardinals. Manager Rocco Baldelli and the rest of the organization will be holding their breath every day between now and then, as their bullpen cannot afford anymore injuries between now and then.