MILWAUKEE — Minnesota Twins slugger Miguel Sano has been activated from the 60-day injured list after missing three months with torn meniscus in his left knee.
The Twins announced the move before starting a two-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.
Sano hurt his knee April 26 while celebrating a 5-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers in a game that was decided on the final play. He played four days later but left the game early with knee pain and later underwent surgery.
He was batting just .093 with one homer and three RBI in 17 games at the time he went on the injured list, but he’s provided plenty of punch in the past. The 2017 All-Star hit .223 with 30 homers and 75 RBI in 135 games last season. He went deep 13 times over 53 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and had a career-high 34 homers in 2019.
Sano, 29, has been playing first base this season but also has experience at third base.
He hit .333 with five homers and 11 RBI, a .422 on-base percentage and a 1.217 OPS in a 12-game rehabilitation assignment with the FCL (Florida Complex League) Twins and Triple-A St. Paul.
In other moves, the Twins optioned outfielder Gilberto Celestino to Triple-A St. Paul and transferred left-handed pitcher Danny Coulombe to the 60-day injured list.
Coulombe originally went on the injured list May 28 with a left hip impingement.