Twins’ Paredes scratched minutes before start with oblique strain

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Twins right-hander Mike Paredes was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday against the Athletics just minutes before the game was scheduled to begin.

Paredes suffered a left oblique strain during warmups, the team said. Left-hander Kendry Rojas replaced Paredes as the starter. It was the rookie’s fourth start.

“It happened in the bullpen, and from talking to the guys down there, it looked like it got him pretty good,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said of Paredes. “Kendry was going to pitch second, so we just sent him down there. … Overall, he kind of set the tone.”

Rojas was given time to warm up in the bullpen before taking the mound to start the game. He pitched four shutout innings and allowed just one hit in the Twins 2-0 win.

“I was not expecting it. I was just sitting, chilling, talking, and then they told me to get the start, so I sprinted my way back there,” Rojas said postgame, with teammate Pablo Lopez serving as his interpreter. “After that, it was just doing my thing.”

The 25-year-old Paredes debuted with Minnesota earlier this year and is 0-3 in nine career big league games, including five starts. He’s allowed at least one run in each of his appearances and has a 4.72 ERA this season, with 19 strikeouts and 13 walks.

If Paredes lands on the injured list, that would free up a roster spot for left-hander Connor Prielipp, who has been on the IL since July 9 with a blister and could return soon.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb