Joe Mauer handles first day at first base with relative ease

Over the off-season, the Twins announced they were moving Joe Mauer from behind the plate to first base, a decision meant to alleviate the day-to-day physical stress their $184 million man had gone through, particularly recently. Mauer suffered a concussion last season from a foul tip and has also had back problems from time to time.

Mauer played at first base for the first time during spring training. Per MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger, Mauer didn’t experience any issues and felt comfortable out there.

“It felt a little different,” Mauer said. “I’ve never actually played first base here at Spring Training, so I was a little worried about seeing the ball off the bat. It’s a little bright out there, so it was nice I was able to get a ball in the first inning and make a play.”

Mauer also went 1-for-2 with an RBI to top off his afternoon. Mauer, 30, has played in 115 or more games just once in the last three years, so if the Twins can get him to play close to a full season, they should be able to recapture any value lost from the position switch.

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