Right around this time last year, the Twins decided to move Louie Varland to the bullpen, allowing him first to get his feet wet in the role at Triple-A before deploying him as a weapon out of the major league bullpen.

Varland responded to the new challenge, giving up just two earned runs in 12 innings (1.50 ERA) to cap the regular season and making two scoreless playoff appearances. But while it appeared as if Varland could be ticketed for a similar role again late this season, injuries to starters Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack have made the decision harder — and perhaps slightly delayed it.

With rookies Simeon Woods Richardson, David Festa and Zebby Matthews already in the major league rotation pitching important innings, Varland is in Triple-A starting, serving as depth should something happen to anyone currently in the rotation.

“We can’t put ourselves ever in a spot where we run out of capable starters,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “That is always going to be the first thing that I have to bring up when we talk about Lou and his ultimate landing spot in September as far as how he’s getting his innings.”

If the Twins need another starter, he should be the first in line and shortening him up for a relief role would leave them thin on available options for the rotation.

Varland struggled in the majors earlier this season, losing his rotation spot to Woods Richardson. But he’s made a handful of spot starts in the majors since his bumpy April and performed better. He’s also pitched notably better at Triple-A.

“I don’t know the answer,” Baldelli said of Varland’s future role. “I think you could see it play out both ways.”

Topa progressing

While there’s still a question of whether or not Varland joins the bullpen at some point this year, Justin Topa is hoping to provide the Twins a late-season addition to the relief corps.

Topa has been on the injured list all season, first dealing with knee tendinitis and then elbow soreness after going on a rehab assignment earlier this month which had to be halted.

The reliever played catch at 60 feet on Sunday with no issues, will take Monday off and then return to catch play on Tuesday and Wednesday as he keeps ramping up. He hopes by the end of next week, he can be throwing off the mound.

“It’s been frustrating, getting close and then the setback with the knee the first time,” Topa said. “Knee’s been feeling probably the best it’s felt in over two years and then obviously this pops up. But you just kind of roll with the punches and try to find a silver lining in everything.”

Though Topa is aware of the time crunch — there’s a little more than a month remaining in the regular season — he still believes there’s enough time for him to get back and impact the team down the stretch.

“I think after talking to (athletic trainer) Nick (Paparesta) and everybody, once we get past that point of doing some flat ground work and get on the mound, I think it’s going to be a relatively quick ramp up,” Topa said. “Not in the sense of we’re going to try to overdo it, but in the sense of, I threw enough in St. Paul that first go-around, maybe one or two games there.”

Briefly

Max Kepler was scratched shortly before Sunday’s game with left knee soreness and Baldelli said he spent much of the day in the training room. Baldelli said he would get imaging done on his knee, at which point the team would know more. … Baldelli did not have much of an update on Alex Kirilloff, whom the Twins pulled from his rehab assignment after he experienced what the manager called “residual back soreness.” Kirilloff has been on the injured list since June 13 and played one game in St. Paul on Friday, doubling once in his five at-bats before the Twins paused his rehab assignment.

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