Twins Pitcher Pablo Lopez Likely Placed on Injured List with Lat Strain

Minnesota Twins ace pitcher Pablo Lopez exited a recent game against the Athletics due to a strained latissimus dorsi muscle in his right shoulder, prompting concerns about a potential stint on the injured list. Lopez first felt tightness during the fifth inning and, after throwing warm-up pitches before the sixth, decided to leave the game to prevent further injury. The Twins expect to place Lopez on the 15-day injured list pending MRI results, marking his second IL stint this season after a hamstring injury in April. Despite the injury, Lopez remains optimistic, noting he did not experience a sudden injury or 'pop' and feels the situation could have been worse had he tried to continue pitching. Before this setback, Lopez was having a strong season with a 2.82 ERA over 11 starts. The Twins will likely rely on other pitchers such as David Festa and Simeon Woods Richardson to fill the void during Lopez's absence.