SEATTLE -- Ramon Ortiz admitted that he had started to see the writing on the wall.
With his time on the mound dwindling, Ortiz felt that he might be one of the pitchers the Twins had on the trading block.
So it came as no surprise to Ortiz when he learned the news on Wednesday that he had been traded to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Minor League infielder Matt Macri.

The Twins have had their own injury troubles of late, including one suffered on Wednesday when shortstop Jason Bartlett strained his left hamstring in a 6-1 victory at Seattle. The extent of Bartlett's injury is not yet known, but the feeling is that it likely will require a stint on the 15-day disabled list. And with that injury, Macri could get the call to help out almost immediately.

"With Bartlett down, this will give us a little bit more insurance," Ryan said.

Ryan said that Macri, 25, can play second base, shortstop and third base, with most of his time recently spent playing third. Macri began the year playing for the Rockies' Double-A Tulsa club. He batted .298 with 23 doubles, 11 home runs and 33 RBIs in 79 games. He was recently promoted to Triple-A Colorado Springs, where he played in three games, going 6-for-9 with two doubles, a homer and four RBIs. The Twins will also evaluate outfielder Jason Kubel on Thursday to determine if his strained right oblique will require a stint on the disabled list. Ryan said it will be after the team evaluates Bartlett and Kubel that the club will decide just how many roster moves will have to be made. But Ryan made it clear that the team will not necessarily call up a pitcher to replace Ortiz.