HOUSTON – Anthony Swarzak's final pitch in Tuesday's 10-4 loss to Houston might have been his last one for a few weeks. The Twins reliever stepped toward Jose Altuve's ground ball just to the left of the mound, "and I came down on the sideslope of the mound and just rolled" his right ankle.

Swarzak was taken for X-rays, which found no broken bones. But the righthander was wearing a protective boot on his foot Wednesday, and he might need it for a few days.

"No broken bones, no structural damage, so it's just a matter of time. They're going to re-evaluate on Friday," Swarzak said Thursday. "It's like [my] eighth-grade basketball days, rolling your ankle, same type of injury."

It's a timely one, however, given that Ricky Nolasco comes off the disabled list Friday. The Twins can put Swarzak on the 15-day DL and let Yohan Pino step into his long-relief role.

PHIL MILLER