The turn of the calendar from August to September meant the return of two players who had been with the Twins earlier in the season.

One, infielder Brooks Lee, had been rehabbing with the Triple-A Saints from an arm injury that had kept him out since the first week of August. The other, reliever Diego Castillo, made his return to the majors after being designated for assignment by the Twins in June.

The Twins added both to the roster on Sunday as Major League Baseball rosters expanded to 28 players. Both of them and Michael Helman, who took the roster spot of Manuel Margot, who landed on the injured list with groin strain, were on the active roster on Sunday.

Lee’s return gives the Twins added versatility in the infield as they continue to play without injured star shortstop Carlos Correa. The 2022 first-round pick has played second, third and short for the Twins since being called up in July.

“It’s great to have a healthy Brooks back,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He certainly adds to our young group of versatile players that can more around and do a lot of different things for us.”

With Lee, who went 1 for 4 on Sunday, and Correa out, Willi Castro has primarily been playing shortstop, but the Twins are now free to move him around the field, giving them extra flexibility.

Castro played center field on Sunday with Lee at shortstop, though it seems as if Castro will still continue to see time at short until Correa’s return.

“I think there are going to be certain lineups, configurations, groups of players that are playing at the same time, where Willi is going to come back and find himself in the infield,” Baldelli said. “And there are going to be times when he’s going to find himself in the outfield. … That’s something he’s going to need to do, start bouncing around and move around the field. But I think Willi is up for pretty much anything.”

In the bullpen, Castillo gives the Twins, who have been reshaping their relief corps of late, another right-handed option. The 30-year-old veteran pitched in five games for the Twins earlier this season, giving up two runs in seven innings.

“I’m hoping he can also kind of add to the depth of the group that we have in the ‘pen,” Baldelli said. “Give us a consistent, reliable option out there. Someone that can go two innings if we need it.”

Helman gets call

The visitor’s locker room in Omaha had cleared out by the time Helman had wrapped up a long visit with his family after the St. Paul Saints played the Omaha Storm Chasers on Saturday in his native Nebraska.

But coach Tyler Smarslok and clubhouse manager Matt Tramp were still there, ready to deliver him with the news of a lifetime.

“I thought they were messing with me at first,” Helman said.

They weren’t. The Twins were calling up the 28-year-old, who can play in both the infield and outfield, for the first time in his career.

He drove back to meet his family and told them of his promotion in person, something he said was “a little more nerve-wracking” than he expected it would be.

It’s been a long time coming for Helman, an 11th-round pick in 2018 who has dealt with his fair share of injuries that have delayed him on his way to the majors.

Last year he had a hamstring issue and a shoulder dislocation that limited him to 38 games. This year, he has played in 63 minor league games because of two hamstring injuries.

But now, after all of his struggles, he’s finally a major leaguer.

“They definitely get annoying after a while,” he said of all his injuries. “But it’s one of those things where if you’re willing to come back stronger every single time, it’s part of the journey.”

Briefly

To make room on the 40-man roster for Castillo and Helman, the Twins designated Caleb Boushley for assignment and transferred Chris Paddack to the 60-day injured list. Paddack has on the IL since July 20 with a forearm strain.