**Rocco Baldelli Criticizes Alex Kirilloff for Concealing Back Injury**
Alex Kirilloff’s recent demotion to Triple-A St. Paul was short-lived as the Minnesota Twins placed him on the 10-day injured list due to a back injury. Kirilloff admitted he attempted to play through the pain, which drew criticism from Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, who suggested that Kirilloff kept the issue to himself.
“The communication on that, if that was something that was worsening and he was unable to play, does need to be better and something he needs to be able to bring up and say,” Baldelli told the media on Tuesday. “He had the opportunity to do it. Hopefully, we can do that better next time.”
Kirilloff’s demotion came amidst a slump where he was hitting just .095 in June. His season stats so far include a .201/.270/.384 slash line with five home runs and 20 RBI.
On Tuesday, Kirilloff mentioned he is seeking a second opinion from a back specialist. He reported experiencing lower-back soreness with some nerve-related issues affecting his leg.
“For me, I just want to play and stay on the field and not pull myself off the field,” Kirilloff said. “It’s kind of hard to say something when you want to be out there every day, but at the same time, things need to be communicated at a high level here.”
Kirilloff stated he is not concerned that the injury will require surgery.
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