Matt Wallner activated from injured list, giving Twins a nearly fully healthy roster

SEATTLE – He didn’t get to take part in one of the most memorable Twins victories of recent years, but Matt Wallner’s Friday night in Seattle wasn’t bad either. He had a nice dinner and relaxed in his hotel room, watching his alma mater, Southern Miss, play in the NCAA baseball tournament.

“Actually, they lost,” so that wasn’t so great, Wallner said.

But on Saturday, the Twins granted his fondest wish: They activated him from the injured list and wrote him into their lineup, a little more than six weeks after he suffered a serious left hamstring strain.

It wasn’t an easy stretch, particularly since he had never suffered a leg injury before getting hurt running the bases against the Mets on April 15. A week after his injury, the Forest Lake native’s leg was no better, and his mental state was considerably worse.

“It’s fun to panic sometimes,” Wallner joked of those dark days. “It kind of stayed the same that first week, just stiff. Obviously, I knew it was going to get better eventually, but you want it to feel perfect the next day, and it just never does.”

Once the healing became noticeable, Wallner said, “it genuinely got better every single day, so maybe [I’m back] a little bit before anticipated. I’m just happy I’m finally back.”

He showed it in his first at-bat Saturday, launching a two-run homer off Seattle’s Bryce Miller.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli couldn’t recall the last time he had his entire projected roster healthy and available. Wallner’s return, coming a day after Byron Buxton’s, means the only position player remaining on the IL is rookie Luke Keaschall (broken forearm), who will be sidelined until at least June 25.

“It’s wonderful to have Wallner back. When he left, he was as productive as any player that we had at that point. And he healed up from the injury pretty good,” Baldelli said of Wallner, who hit five home runs in six rehab games with Class AAA St. Paul. “He’s been swinging the bat good, so obviously, his timing is at least in a decent spot to start.”

To make room for Wallner, the Twins sent outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. back to St. Paul. He will rejoin the Saints when they open a home series against Scranton on Tuesday.

Keirsey was only 7-for-64 (.109) with one home run, one walk and 21 strikeouts with the Twins, but Baldelli said “I couldn’t have been more pleased” at how Keirsey handled his limited role as a defensive replacement and pinch runner.

“It’s hard to go from being a baseball player, playing regularly, to getting called up to the highest level and being told by the manager that you’re going to fill a specific role on Day 1,” Baldelli said. “He paid very close attention. He was very prepared. Now it’s time for him to go get sharp again. Go play and get a bunch of at-bats and get some time on the field.”

Talking in the clubhouse Saturday, Ty France and Harrison Bader finally agreed: Bader’s standing ovation from Cardinals fans in March was a little more raucous than the ovation France received from Mariners fans on Friday night.

“But his was an Opening Day crowd, so that’s cheating,” France said with a laugh.

“Hey, I didn’t get a video,” Bader responded.

Yes, the Mariners welcomed their former All-Star back with a montage of France getting memorable hits, making great plays, doing community events and, most hilariously, getting plunked by a significant portion of the team-record 95 pitches he took for the team in his five seasons here.

“You could make a long video just from those clips,” France joked. “It was the video they put on social media when I was traded last year. But just that they gave me a couple of minutes to take it all in and be recognized, that was special. It meant a lot to me.”

France was facing the crowd to thank them for the applause, so he didn’t see that most of the Mariners at their positions on the field were clapping too. “That was great to hear,” he said. “We all kind of went through the wringer together. I’m still close to some of those guys.”

And his history at T-Mobile Park came in handy after the game. France dressed and left in a hurry, for a specific reason: “It was fireworks night, so there’s a big crowd and they all leave at once,” he said. “I learned if you don’t get out quick, you’re sitting for an hour, hour and a half in traffic.”

Former Saints and Twins infielder Diego Castillo hit one of Omaha’s three home runs and the host Storm Chasers beat the Saints 5-2. Ryan Fitzgerald hit a two-run homer for the Saints.