Justin Topa makes progress, Alex Kirilloff's rehab finished

For Twins relief pitcher Justin Topa, it's been a long and frustrating road to recovery.

Topa, who the Twins acquired in an offseason trade that sent Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners, has yet to make his debut for Minnesota despite coming close to returning several times since the start of the season due to tendinitis in his left knee while on the injured list.

Topa made four rehab appearances with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints from late April to early May, but suffered a partial tear of the patellar tendon in his injured left knee and had to sit out six weeks and receive a platelet-rich plasma injection. Topa eventually recovered and his knee felt great when he started up again and began another rehab stint on July 23 in Fort Myers, Florida.

Topa continued to make progress and was perhaps closer to a comeback than ever before. He made five appearances in Triple-A before experiencing tightness in his right arm and was sidelined again.

“It was just frustrating to be that close the first time and then get knocked back with a knee – the knee probably felt better than it ever has – and then of course that comes up, but you just take the hits and try to find the positive in everything,” Topa said.

Topa is getting closer to returning. He plays catch and throws from 60 feet with no issues. He said the plan is to continue playing catch for the next two weeks before he starts throwing from the mound. Although there is time pressure for a potential return as the season winds down, Topa believes he still has plenty of time to improve and get into the Twins' bullpen this year.

“I think once we get to the point where we do the groundwork and get on the mound, it's going to be relatively quick,” he said. “Not in the sense that we're going to try to overdo it, but in the sense that I put enough in at St. Paul the first time around.”

Although Topa is still a long way from returning, his return at some point this season could be a boon to the Twins bullpen, which has had some problems of late, leading to a recent restructure that saw the Twins earmark Steven Okert for release or trade and opting to sign Scott Blewett.

Topa isn't the only Twin to suffer a setback. The Twins pulled Alex Kirilloff from his rehab assignment on Saturday night because of what Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said on Sunday was “ongoing back pain.” Kirilloff has been on the injured list since June 13 with back problems.

“(Kirilloff) will not continue for the time being,” Baldelli said. “We will first calm the situation down before deciding exactly what we will do next.”