Twins call up former UK pitcher Taylor Rogers from Triple-A

The Minnesota Twins sent right-hander Jose Berrios to Triple-A Rochester, after the rookie allowed seven runs without finishing the first inning of his fourth career start.

The Twins made the move Tuesday before their game at Detroit, recalling left-hander Taylor Rogers from Rochester for help for the staff.

Rogers is a former University of Kentucky standout who made one relief appearance — his major league debut — for the Twins last month. He pitched two-thirds of a inning while giving up a single between a groundout and a popout during the ninth inning.

“After the first pitch, it felt real,” Rogers said after that game, a 3-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox. “That’s when it really hit me. I was just trying to get loose and get ready, and calm myself down, and not give up any runs, really. I just wanted to do well, and once I threw that first pitch, I got really excited and felt like I couldn’t breathe. …

“You always think about it and you’re dreaming and all of that, but it was way cooler than I anticipated,” the 25-year-old said.

Rogers was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in seven games, including two starts, at Rochester. He had 15 strikouts and a 1.67 WHIP in 18 innings.

Rogers is one of five former UK players currently in the majors, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Joe Blanton, the Toronto Blue Jays’ Andy Burns, the Cleveland Indians’ Jason Kipnis and the Colorado Rockies’ Chris Rusin.

This story was originally published May 17, 2016 at 4:28 PM with the headline "Twins call up former UK pitcher Taylor Rogers from Triple-A."