MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer went on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left quadriceps muscle.
Mauer had an MRI exam on Sunday morning and missed his second straight game. Test results revealed a strain, and the Twins recalled catcher Chris Heintz from Triple-A Rochester to take Mauer’s place following Sunday’s 4-3 loss to Boston. The move is retroactive to May 5.
The injury has bothered the reigning AL batting champion for most of the season, but it really flared up while he was running the bases in Friday night’s loss to Boston. Mauer was a late scratch from the lineup Saturday night after the quad tightened up on him during batting practice, and he said it was still very sore on Sunday morning.
“It’s tough,” Mauer said after the game. “Nobody wants to be on the disabled list. You want to go out there and help your teammates. It’s not really something I’m used to.”
Mike Redmond started in his place again on Sunday, but the injury is the latest to bite the Twins this season.
Cleanup hitter Michael Cuddyer was out again Sunday with a bruised back, and the team is hoping he can return by Tuesday. Left fielder Rondell White is on the disabled list with a torn calf muscle and Jeff Cirillo just returned from knee surgery.
Mauer appeared in 28 of Minnesota’s first 29 games and is hitting .353, fifth best in the American League when the day began. He said he wasn’t sure how much time he would miss.
“You don’t want to put a timetable on it,” Mauer said. “It could be two weeks, or it could be more. Hopefully it’s not much more.”
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