Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said that Matt Capps is unlikely to get the ball in a potential save situation Wednesday against the Rays.

While this doesn't mean that Capps has been officially yanked from the closer role, Gardenhire is at least giving him a breather. Joe Nathan is probably the better long-term bet, but those in immediate need for saves should stash away Glen Perkins, who has notched the last two saves.

While Twins manager Ron Gardenhire reiterated following Tuesday's game that Matt Capps is still his closer, he said they'll "deal with this in the next couple of days."

Very interesting. Capps was pulled from his second straight outing Tuesday night after allowing two runners to reach base following a home run by B.J. Upton. Glen Perkins saved the day yet again, so he figures to be first in line for saves if Gardenhire makes a change, though Joe Nathan has delivered four consecutive scoreless appearances. Stay tuned.

Though Matt Capps was removed with one out in the ninth inning in a save situation on Sunday, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire reiterated that Capps remains the team's closer.

"Cappy's still our closer," Gardenhire said. "He's really fired up right now, I guarantee it. He's hot at me, and that's fine. I'll take it. I'll wear it. Whatever it takes, but we're trying to win baseball games." Capps recorded just one out and gave up two hits before Glen Perkins struck out the next two to get his first career save. Another bad outing and Capps could be yanked from ninth inning duties.

Matt Capps blew his sixth save of the season in Saturday's late-innings loss to the Brewers.

The Twins had a commanding 7-0 lead after four innings, but the Brewers slowly chipped away and then piled on Capps with four runs in the ninth. The right-hander allowed five hits and retired only two batters. He's likely to retain closing duties for now, but Joe Nathan could make things interesting if he begins retiring hitters consistently. Nathan has made two straight scoreless appearances since returning from the disabled list.

Matt Capps pitched a scoreless ninth Tuesday against the Dodgers to earn his 12th save of the season.

Of more note? He walked two after walking only two batters all season up to that point. Capps has allowed just one earned run in nine relief appearances in June, posting a 7/3 K/BB ratio in that span. Capps has already blown five saves, but he has a solid 3.82 ERA and 0.92 WHIP through 33 innings this season and has plenty of job security right now.

Matt Capps has allowed just one earned run in eight relief appearances this month.

Capps also boasts a 7/1 K/BB ratio in that span. He's blown five saves, but the right-hander has a solid 3.94 ERA and 0.91 WHIP through 32 innings this season and will remain the Twins' closer for the foreseeable future. Joe Nathan is still trying to work out some kinks in middle relief.

Matt Capps pitched a scoreless ninth Thursday for a save in his first appearance in eight days.

Capps was plagued by a sore wrist last week, though he's been ready to pitch for days now. Of course, the Twins haven't been generating a whole bunch of save chances for him. They did today, and he got the job done for the ninth time this season.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said that Matt Capps (wrist) could be available to pitch Friday.

Capps was unavailable for Thursday's game due to tendinitis in his right wrist. His condition has improved over the past 24 hours, so it's possible he could get the ball if the Twins are in a save situation.

Matt Capps is dealing with tendinitis in his right wrist.

It's not clear at this point if it might make him unavailable Friday. Capps blew a save Wednesday but hung around to pick up the win after the Twins re-took the lead. He's blown three of his last four save chances and five of 13 opportunities on the season but has a tidy 0.93 WHIP and 17/2 K/BB ratio.

Matt Capps gave up a solo homer in the ninth to blow his fifth save Wednesday against the Indians.

Capps ended up with the win after the Twins took the lead in the top of the 10th, but this makes three blown saves in his last four chances. He's not pitching all that badly -- he had four straight scoreless innings going into this one -- but as few closing chances as the Twins generate, he needs to do a better job of capitalizing. Phil Dumatrait endd up with the save in this one.

Matt Capps earned his eighth save of the season in Monday's 6-4 win over the Indians.

Capps walked one and tallied one strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning. He's had a nearly flawless June to this point and remains a quality fantasy option at closer. Joe Nathan is on the disabled list with soreness in his troublesome right elbow and is not yet throwing.

Matt Capps was available to pitch Friday after dealing with forearm soreness earlier this week.

Capps wasn't part of the Twins' bullpen collapse, but it appears he's ready for save chances again. The right-hander holds a 5.09 ERA and 0.91 WHIP this season and has blown his last two save chances.

Matt Capps took a loss after giving up four runs in the eighth inning Saturday against the Diamondbacks.

Capps was set up to fail tonight, coming into a 6-5 game with two on and none out in the eighth. Why manager Ron Gardenhire was so quick to pull both Joe Nathan and Glen Perkins after they faced just one batter apiece and surrendered singles will be much debated after this one. Capps went on to give up an RBI double, a bunt single, another single with one out and then a grand slam to Kelly Johnson. His ERA jumped to 5.06 as a result, but he probably didn't lose any ground to Nathan considering the circumstances.

Matt Capps got five outs Wednesday to pick up his fifth save against the White Sox.

Capps came in with one out and men on first and third in a 3-1 game in the eighth. He immediately allowed a sac fly, cutting the lead in half, but he got the job done from there. He's a perfect 5-for-5 saving games since replacing Joe Nathan in the closer's role, and it doesn't look like a change will come anytime soon.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Matt Capps is unavailable for Tuesday's game against the Orioles.

Capps has pitched in 10 of the Twins' first 16 games this season, including three straight and four of the last five. Gardenhire said he will not use Joe Nathan in a save situation, so Jose Mijares or Glen Perkins could get a look.

The Twins have decided to remove Joe Nathan from the closer role and hand the job to Matt Capps.

Manager Ron Gardenhire and pitching coach Rick Anderson met with Nathan after Saturday's game -- a game in which he blew his second straight save opportunity -- and decided it would be a good idea to put him in less stressful situations. It's the right move, as Nathan simply hasn't looked like himself thus far. Capps has struggled in his own right his last two outings, but he was pitching well before that and has the tools to succeed in the ninth inning. Assuming his stuff does come around, we would expect Nathan to eventually get his job back, but it's not a given.

Matt Capps pitched two perfect innings to earn the win on Tuesday over the Yankees.

Capps took the mound down 4-0 and left with the lead, needing only 16 pitches. He will continue to be a reliable late-inning pitcher.

Matt Capps gave up two unearned runs on three hits over two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Braves.

Capps gave up three singles and hit a batter, blowing a two-run lead in the ninth inning, but it wasn't all his fault. The inning was set up by a fielding error by first baseman Chase Lambin. The Braves eventually won the game on a two-run walkoff homer by Mauro Gomez off Chuck James in the 10th. We wouldn't worry too much about Capps, as he has been fantastic this spring. Though Ron Gardenhire already plans to put Joe Nathan back in the closer role, we think they'd be better served using Capps, at least initially.

Matt Capps turned in a perfect inning with two strikeouts Sunday against the Yankees.

Capps has been flawless in throwing 9 1/3 scoreless innings this spring, and the smart play for the Twins would be to put him into the closer's role initially while Joe Nathan gets straightened out. However, that probably won't happen unless Nathan blows a couple early on.

Twins and RHP Matt Capps avoided arbitration Tuesday by agreeing to a one-year, $7.15 million contract.

That one hurts. Capps posted a strong 2.47 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 73 innings last season and converted 42 saves, but few relievers are worth more than $7 million per year and the Twins probably wish they had non-tendered him. Oh well. He'll operate in a setup role this season.