Twins Reliever Anthony Swarzack Cracks Ribs in Horseplay Incident

Next Wednesday, the Minnesota Twins pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to sunny Fort Myers, Fla. As those guys get stretched out, one of their brethren won’t be throwing with them.

It was announced today that Twins reliever Anthony Swarzak is out for at least two weeks with cracked ribs (source: ESPN via The Associated Press).

How did Swarzak get two cracked ribs?

Horseplay.

On the night of Jan. 25, Swarzak was wrestling with unnamed Twins teammates when the incident occurred. That date was the Friday of Twins Fest, which is the team’s annual fan festival held at their former home field, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.

Twins general manager Terry Ryan said that Swarzak was not in a fight.               

Anthony Swarzak has pitched in the big leagues in three seasons—all with the Minnesota Twins. Swarzak has pitched in 83 games, 28 of which have been starts.

2012 was not a great year for Swarzak, who appeared in 44 games (five starts) last season. Swarzak finished 3-6 with a 5.03 ERA in 96.2 innings pitched.

This at-least-two-week layoff for Swarzak will hamper his chances of securing a spot in the Twins bullpen coming out of spring training. The depth chart on the Twins official website has him as the bottom man in the bullpen.

In the Twins attempt to rise out of the American League cellar, the organization has done a complete revamp of the team’s pitching, which may not add up well for Swarzak.

While pitchers and catchers report next Wednesday, Feb. 13, the rest of the team will join them in Florida on the following Saturday, Feb. 16.