X-rays show progress in Tsuyoshi Nishioka’s fractured fibula

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Twins second baseman Tsuyoshi Nishioka broke his left fibula earlier this month when Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher upended him on a broken double play attempt at Minnesota’s Target Field.

The Japanese infielder is still a couple weeks from returning to the Twins’ major league lineup, but he is making steady progress.

Robert Falkoff of MLB.com brings word that Nishioka underwent a round of check-up X-rays on Saturday that showed significant healing.

Here’s Twins assistant trainer Dave Pruemer:

“Nishioka’s X-rays showed good healing. We’re progressing him to more land-based exercises and baseball activities. “The next few days, we’ll see how it goes.”

Nishioka has been taking swings in a batting cage and has played long toss on several occasions, but he is not yet fielding ground balls and is obviously not ready to begin a running program. The infielder posted a .208/.269/.250 batting line, one double and two RBI through his first 26 plate appearances.

Dodgers place pitcher Noah Syndergaard on injured list with no timetable for return

dodgers syndergaard
Katie Stratman/USA TODAY Sports
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CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pitcher Noah Syndergaard on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a blister on the index finger of his right throwing hand.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the timetable for Syndergaard’s return is unknown despite the 15-day designation.

“The physical, the mental, the emotional part, as he’s talked about, has taken a toll on him,” Roberts said. “So, the ability to get him away from this. He left today to go back to Los Angeles to kind of get back to normalcy.”

Syndergaard allowed six runs and seven hits in three innings against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night, raising his ERA to 7.16.

Syndergaard (1-4) has surrendered at least five runs in three straight starts.

Syndergaard has been trying to return to the player he was before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the better part of the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Roberts said Syndergaard will need at least “a few weeks” to both heal and get away from baseball and “reset.”

“I think searching and not being comfortable with where he was at in the moment is certainly evident in performance,” Roberts said. “So hopefully this time away will provide more clarity on who he is right now as a pitcher.

“Trying to perform when you’re searching at this level is extremely difficult. I applaud him from not running from it, but it’s still very difficult. Hopefully it can be a tale of two stories, two halves when he does come back.”