Trevor Plouffe hasn’t played since jamming his right thumb on a swing back on July 20, but he could be back in the Twins’ starting lineup on Monday if all goes according to plan.
Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports that Plouffe was cleared to begin a minor league rehab assignment after making it through batting practice last night without any discomfort in his thumb. He’s slated to play with Triple-A Rochester on Saturday and Sunday and could be activated for Monday’s series opener against the Tigers.
Plouffe has been a pleasant surprise for the fourth-place Twins this season, batting .259/.330/.425 with 19 home runs, 38 RBI and an .855 OPS in 74 games played.
