Minnesota.Twins.MLB.com

By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

Rick Helling is 90-78 with a 4.77 ERA in 266 career games, including 225 starts. (Scott Martin/AP)

Minnesota is scrambling to find a new fifth starter after learning that its likely fifth man, Rick Helling, has a broken right leg and will be sidelined for at least four weeks.

Helling was originally thought to have a contusion above his shin after being hit by a line drive off the bat of the Phillies' Shawn Wooten in the fourth inning of Saturday's game.

Although Helling reported feeling less pain Sunday morning, a second examination prompted doctors to send him to a local hospital for X-rays that revealed a fractured fibula. His leg will be fitted with a protective boot Monday.

"I'm very disappointed," said Helling, who has a 90-78 record and 4.77 ERA over seven Major League seasons. "I came to Spring Training having done everything I needed to do over the winter to get ready. We were having a good Spring Training. (Pitching coach) Rick Anderson and I worked well together and I felt like I was fitting in with the team.

"Then, you get a freak accident and it throws a wrench into it."

The 33-year-old Helling, who was 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA after four games this spring, was expected to provide some veteran presence on a relatively young pitching staff.

"He was throwing the ball fine," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We're sad for Rick. He was working very hard."

Helling, who pitched for the Orioles and Marlins in 2003 before becoming a free agent, is in Twins camp as a non-roster player. Since he's on a minor league contract, he won't need to go on the 25-man roster and then the disabled list. He'll likely be placed on the Triple-A roster and work out in Florida after healing.

After several free agent defections and the trade of starter Eric Milton over the winter, the depth of Minnesota's pitching staff will be tested by Helling's injury.

Several young pitchers, who were already vying for one or two available roles in the bullpen, will get a chance to also battle for a starting spot. Right-handers Grant Balfour, Joe Roa, Seth Greisinger, Sean Douglass, Pete Munro and lefties Brad Thomas and Carlos Pulido could all get extra looks.

Balfour, Douglass and Thomas are out of options.

"We have some people here," Gardenhire said. "We just have to figure out what we want."

Balfour, who made his first career start last September, was originally a consideration for the fifth spot before Spring Training.