By: Kelly Thesier/MLB.com

MINNEAPOLIS — The Twins made a roster move before the game to reinstate Nick Blackburn from the Family Medical Emergency List. To make room for Blackburn, they optioned right-hander Jeff Manship to Triple-A Rochester.

So the Twins will continue to go with just six relievers for the time being. It’s not an issue that manager Ron Gardenhire is hugely concerned with as he said that in the past teams did not always rely on seven pitchers in the bullpen.

Blackburn will be starting for the Twins tonight. He didn’t face the Tigers last week in Detroit, but the Twins will try to see if they can fare better against Dontrelle Willis the second time around. Willis held Minnesota scoreless over six innings last Thursday.

Joe Mauer had an MRI on his bruised left heel, just to make sure that nothing else was going on. But the MRI came back showing just a deep soft tissue bruise so the catcher remains day-to-day.

Tigers
(16-11)
Austin

Jackson, CF
Johnny
Damon, DH
Magglio Ordonez, RF
Miguel Cabrera, 1B
Brennan
Boesch, LF
Brandon Inge, 3B
Scott Sizemore, 2B
Gerald Laird, C
Adam Everett, SS
Pitching: LHP Dontrelle Willis (1-1, 3.75 ERA)

Twins

(17-9)
Denard Span, CF
Orlando
Hudson, 2B
Justin Morneau, 1B
Jim Thome, DH
Michael Cuddyer,
RF
Delmon Young, LF
J.J. Hardy, SS
Wilson Ramos, C
Nick Punto, 3B
Pitching: RHP Nick Blackburn (1-1, 6.85
ERA)

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