Athletics claimed INF Luke Hughes off waivers from the Twins. Hughes was designated for assignment by the Twins last week after picking up just two hits in his first 10 at-bats. He also batted just .223/.289/.338 over 317 plate appearances last year, but he does offer some positional versatility.

Twins designated INF Luke Hughes for assignment. The move clears a spot for Wednesday's starter Jason Marquis on the active roster. Hughes was 2-for-10 to begin the season and batted just .223/.289/.338 over 317 plate appearances with the big club last year. Still, the 27-year-old has some pop and is capable of playing multiple infield positions, so somebody will probably take a chance on him.

Luke Hughes went 5-for-5 with a homer, two doubles and five RBI as the Twins crushed the Rays 19-4 on Saturday. Hughes' spot on the Twins' bench was already looking pretty secure, but this won't hurt. The Australian infielder has three homers and four doubles in 36 at-bats this spring. If he can stay hot, the Twins might look for ways to get him into the lineup early on, rather than just relying on him as a fallback.

Luke Hughes went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and a walk Wednesday in the Twins' 7-3 win over the Tigers. Unless Minnesota picks up a reserve infielder between now and Opening Day, Hughes figures to stick around as a utilityman. He's not much of a shortstop and he has issues making contact, so he shouldn't have any fantasy value at all.

Luke Hughes is expected to have a backup job on Minnesota's Opening Day roster. The Twins optioned Japanese shortstop Tsuyoshi Nishioka to Triple-A Rochester on Monday, clearing a spot on the middle-infield depth chart. Hughes, 27, is 6-for-25 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI this spring in Grapefruit League play.

Luke Hughes threw for the first time Wednesday since injuring his right shoulder during winter ball. He was also able to take some swings without discomfort. Hughes, who enters spring training out of options, was diagnosed with inflammation last week and has made quick progress following a cortisone shot. The 27-year-old infielder hopes to take batting practice as soon as Thursday.

Luke Hughes received a cortisone shot in his right shoulder on Wednesday. A second opinion on Hughes' MRI showed only inflammation and he hopes to resume baseball activities as soon as next week. The 27-year-old batted just .223/.289/.338 over 317 plate appearances in 2011 and will compete for a bench job this spring.

A second opinion of the MRI on Luke Hughes' right shoulder showed inflammation and no structural damage. Hughes was diagnosed with shoulder strain two weeks ago following a home-plate collision while playing for the Perth Heat of the Australian winter league. He's a little behind in the early days of camp, but should have plenty of time to get ready for the season. The 27-year-old batted just .223/.289/.338 with seven homers, 30 RBI and a .627 over 317 plate appearances in 2011.

Luke Hughes (shoulder) won't resume swinging a bat until next week, at the earliest. Hughes is recovering from a sprained right shoulder and isn't expected to be up to speed for another few weeks. Assuming he doesn't have any setbacks, he should be fine by the time the season rolls around. Hughes batted just .223/.289/.338 over 317 plate appearances in 2011.

An MRI on Luke Hughes' right shoulder has revealed a sprain, and the infielder will be sidelined for 3-4 weeks. The good news is that the Twins' first Grapefruit League contest is just over three weeks away, so he shouldn't really be behind schedule. Hughes was injured in a home-plate collision while playing for the Perth Heat of the Australian winter league. "The timing's about right," Twins general manager Terry Ryan said. "So this is encouraging."