Another year, another crushing setback. Just when hopes were high for a long-awaited return, fate—or rather, his own fragile anatomy—had other plans. A once-promising talent, now more familiar with rehab rooms than pitching mounds, is back on the shelf. At this point, the Twins might as well reserve a permanent spot for him on the injured list.

One thing that is more common than strikeouts in baseball is injuries. Every team and every player at some point has injuries but when a pitcher has all the injuries in his arm, it is very difficult for him to come back. That is exactly what is happening with Matt Canterino.

It has been reported by Phil Miller through his X handle that Canterino is injured and will miss the season again. He wrote, “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.”

As you can read, this is not the first time this has happened to the pitcher. His career with the Minnesota Twins has been marred with injuries. While his 2019 season and 2020 season went smoothly, the 2021 season saw his first major injury. An elbow strain sidelined him.

Canterino suffered a major injury in 2022 and underwent a Tommy John injury. This meant that he would miss the entire 2023 season. He was back in the 2024 spring but suffered a rotator cuff strain and this put an end to his 2024 season.

To manage the workload, the Twins shifted him to a bullpen role for the 2025 season but had no luck. After making a brief appearance in the Grapefruit League, he injured his right shoulder. And now, he is going to miss the 2025 season. This is the 3rd straight full-season miss for Matt Canterino. Even when he is back, he will start in the minor leagues and will be on the IL at the start of the season.

At this point, Canterino’s career is less about strikeouts and more about surgical procedures. Three straight lost seasons make it fair to wonder if he’s competing for a comeback or just collecting medical records. If there’s one thing more durable than his pitching arm, it’s the Twins’ unwavering patience—but even that has its limits.

No clear starter at second base: Twins keeping their options open

Spring training is winding down, but the Twins’ second base situation remains as clear as a foggy Minnesota morning. Rather than locking in a starter, the team is playing musical chairs with gloves and hoping someone claims the spot. Maybe it’s strategy, maybe it’s indecision—but with Opening Day fast approaching, the clock is ticking.

How can a team not have their key spot fixed? Just like the Yankees, the Twins have no clue who their 2nd base player is. When asked about this, manager Rocco Baldelli had a shocking answer. He said, “As we sit here right now, we don’t have one player that I’m going to say, yeah, the guy is going to get 600 plate appearances over at second base.”The Minnesota Twins have 4 options: Willi Castro, Edouard Julien, Brooks Lee, and Mickey Gasper. While Castro is the No.1 choice, he might have to play the positions due to some important injuries. The other three replacements have performed well with Julien having an average of .273, Lee with an average of .308, and Gasper with an average of .348. This may not be the numbers that can compare to Castro’s but the Twins have no choice.

With Castro possibly needed elsewhere, the Twins are left hoping one of their backups can rise to the occasion. It’s a bold strategy—or maybe just desperate improvisation. Either way, with Opening Day around the corner, they require answers fast. That’s because if they’re still guessing in April, they might be playing catch-up before the season even begins.