Twins' Ty France, Harrison Bader believed to have minor injuries

The Twins won both ends of Wednesday's doubleheader in Baltimore to stretch their winning streak to ten, but it didn't come without some injury concerns popping up. Ty France left the first game with a foot contusion. Harrison Bader left the second game with groin tightness. Both newcomers have been lineups mainstays and among the Twins' more important position players this season.

Fortunately for Minnesota, both injuries are believed to be minor, according to the Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale. Neither player is in the lineup for Thursday's series finale, but it doesn't seem like either one will require an IL stint or any sort of extended absence. This could just be a precautionary approach with an eye on having them back in the lineup for Friday night's game in Milwaukee.

France's foot issue traces back to last Saturday's game against the Giants, when he apparently bruised his heel while lunging for the first base bag. He then fouled a pitch off that same foot against the Orioles. France was able to finish the at-bat but was then removed from the game and replaced by Kody Clemens, who played hero in the second game of the doubleheader and starts again at first base on Thursday.

"I felt better this morning when I woke up, finally, and fouled it right off the bruise," France said. "I’ll be OK, though."

France had been the only player to appear in each of the Twins' first 42 games, starting 41 of them. The former Mariners All-Star has hit .255 this year with three home runs and a .686 OPS. He trails only Byron Buxton and Trevor Larnach among Twins players in runs and RBI.

Bader's groin tightness is not believed to be related to a sliding, wall-colliding catch he made in the first game of the doubleheader, said Jayce Tingler (who finished Game 2 as the Twins' acting manager because Rocco Baldelli left with an illness). Bader has been maybe Minnesota's best player this season, hitting .300 with four homers, four steals, and an .848 OPS while playing outstanding defense, mostly in left field. He's played in 39 games (starting 33) and is fourth in runs and RBI.

The Twins optioned starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson on Thursday, keeping Kody Funderburk on the roster after he came up as the 27th man for the doubleheader.