NEW YORK — Miguel Sano gave the Twins plenty to think about in advance of Tuesday’s American League wild-card game, but his injured left shin just wouldn’t cooperate.

The Twins left their all-star slugger off the 25-man roster for their one-game playoff against the Yankees.

“I think he put on a good face over the weekend in saying he felt good,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “I’m not sure I really believe he ever felt very good but he tried. It just wasn’t going to happen.”

After seeing only 30 pitches in game action since Aug. 19, Sano, 24, was unable to hit on the field during Monday’s workout. A few swings in the indoor batting cage were enough to convince team trainers it wouldn’t be wise to let Sano play, even as a late-inning, pinch-hit option.

Eleven pitchers were included on the official roster submitted to Major League Baseball on Tuesday morning along with bench players Chris Gimenez, Mitch Garver, Ehire Adrianza, Zack Granite and Kennys Vargas.

“He was just having trouble bracing on his front side to get any leverage on his swing,” Molitor said. “I think the phrase we’ve been throwing around is just the ‘persistent discomfort’ that he was dealing with is not conducive to him contributing. I give him credit for trying to cram in getting ready here over the past four or five days.” Related Articles Former Twins manager Ron Gardenhire announces immediate retirement

Rich Hill turns in solid start, but Cubs shut out Twins at Wrigley

Twins activate Mitch Garver; Jake Odorizzi lands on injured list again

Can a DH win the MVP Award? Nelson Cruz vying for consideration

Twins lose series finale to White Sox, drop three games back in AL Central

Second on the team behind Brian Dozier with 28 homers and tied for the team lead with Eddie Rosario in slugging percentage (.507), Sano went 1 for 8 with three strikeouts over the weekend against the Detroit Tigers in his first game action in nearly six weeks after fouling a ball off his left shin on Aug. 18.

Of the balls Sano put in play, none were in the air; although his lone single carried an exit velocity of 113.6 mph, among the hardest-hit balls by a Twins batter all season.

Sano has five homers in nine career games against the Yankees but is a combined 1 for 6 with four strikeouts and a walk against the top four relievers in the vaunted Yankees bullpen. He seemed to aggravate his shin in his final at-bat Sunday on a groundball to shortstop, causing Molitor to pinch hit Gimenez for him in the ninth.

As expected, Sano took the news hard as Tuesday’s decision also calls into question his availability should the Twins advance to face the Cleveland Indians in the division series.

“He was emotional when I talked to him,” Molitor said. “I’m trying to understand and be empathetic for a guy I think desperately wants to be a part of this and play and help. I’m sure he’s frustrated. It was taken way from him, and the answers were hard to come by and now we’re playing a game in October and he’s got to be on the sidelines.”

Even though the Twins are 28-22 this season without Sano in the starting lineup, the idea of a power threat like Sano off the bench had been tantalizing to Twins staff and his teammates as well.

Yankees relievers posted a 3.34 earned-run average this season, trailing only the Cleveland Indians (2.89) and Boston Red Sox (3.15) in the majors. Yankees relievers ranked first in nine-inning strikeout rate (10.92) but only 19th in walk rate (3.76).

Vargas, a switch-hitting slugger who started just seven of the Twins’ last 28 games, hit .253 with 11 homers in 241 big-league at-bats this season. He grounded out in his only plate appearance against Yankees reliever David Robertson and has never faced Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances or Chad Green.

Left-handed pitchers Taylor Rogers, Buddy Boshers and Adalberto Mejia made the cut for the winner-take-all game. Rookie lefty Gabriel Moya was a surprise exclusion after notching his first career save on Sunday and impressing Molitor in a seven-outing audition. But the manager said he preferred Mejia should the game go into extra innings.

In addition to starter Ervin Santana, right-handed relievers at Molitor’s disposal Tuesday included Jose Berrios, Tyler Duffey, Dillon Gee, Trevor Hildenberger, Ryan Pressly and closer Matt Belisle.