Rest, not surgery, for Twins' Byron Buxton

Jun. 25—After further testing on Byron Buxton's fractured left hand, the Twins have determined their center fielder does not need surgery.

Buxton suffered a "boxer's fracture" — a broken knuckle commonly suffered when punching something — after getting hit by a pitch in Monday's 7-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Target Field.

"It's going to be rest," manager Rocco Baldelli said. "I haven't heard anything else."

When he was hurt Monday, Buxton had been back with the club for fewer than three full games. He had just missed six weeks because of a Grade 2 strain to his right hip, yet another hitch in what had been a torrid start: .369 batting average, 10 home runs and 19 RBIs in 27 games.

"He was going to have his images reviewed by Dr. (Chris Camp), and then we can kind of go from there," Baldelli said. "I don't think he's going to need any procedures to help correct it in any way."

PINEDA PROGRESSING

If all goes well, Michael Pineda should be pitching in St. Paul when the Saints are host to Columbus July 13-18. The right-hander threw a bullpen on Thursday and his next step should be a simulated game.

Pineda was placed on the 10-day injured list on June 14 with inflammation in his right elbow. He missed a start in May after having an abscess removed from his thigh.

Baldelli said pitching coach Wes Johnson was working on a timetable for Pineda to pitch for the Triple-A club at CHS Field. In 11 starts, Pineda is 3-4 with a 3.70 earned-run average.

"I think as a rule of thumb, we should have our guys ready when they return to the rotation," Baldelli said.

GARVER MOVING

Mitch Garver, out since a foul tip gave him "severe groin contusion" in a 7-4 loss June 2 against the Baltimore Orioles, was on the field playing catch on Thursday.

The catcher had surgery to repair the injury.

"He hasn't done a ton baseball-wise to this point, but now is the time," Baldelli said. "He's going to start now. He's going to start moving around more. He's going to be throwing. He's going to be squatting down and starting to really do some of the things that catchers need to do to play the game."

BRIEFLY

Jhoan Duran, the Twins' No. 2 pitching prospect, will be shut down for 5-6 weeks after injuring his elbow in the first inning of a June 15 start in St. Paul. The Twins said he is not scheduled for surgery and instead will be "built back up" after his time off. ... Right-hander Randy Dobnak (1-6, 7.83 ERA) was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strain to his right middle finger. The move is retroactive to June 12. To replace him on the active roster, the Twins recalled right-handed pitcher Griffin Jax from St. Paul. ... Outfielder Jake Cave, on the 60-day injured list with a fractured vertebra in his lower back, was on the field playing catch before Thursday's game. "He's not imminently coming back here," Baldelli said. "He's still got a ways to go."