Balazovic will begin the season the 7-day IL at Triple-A St. Paul with a left knee strain, Brandon Warne of Access Twins reports.
It's not clear how long Balazovic will be out. He suffered a back injury in spring training last year that delayed the start to his 2021 season to June. He then had a solid season at Double-A with a 3.62 ERA, 9.5 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 20 starts. If he can stay healthy, Balazovic has a chance to join the Minnesota rotation early in the season.