After waiting more than two months for Danny Santana to find his stride at the plate, the Twins made the difficult decision to option their struggling young shortstop to Triple-A Rochester after Sunday's game.
Slugging first baseman Kennys Vargas will be recalled before Monday's series opener against the Kansas City Royals, just a game behind the first-place Twins in the American League Central.
Eduardo Escobar will assume the bulk of the shortstop duties.
"He's just a kid who has fun when he's playing well, and it hasn't been very pleasurable for him as of late," Twins manager Paul Molitor said of Santana.