Span to get precautionary MRI on shoulder; Mauer gets cortisone shot
By: Kelly Thesier/MLB.com
Twins center fielder Denard Span is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his right shoulder on Thursday.
General manager Bill Smith said that the team had scheduled the MRI after Span missed three games last weekend after injuring the shoulder while diving for a ball in a game at Chicago on Sept.16. Span returned to the lineup on Monday and played all three games against the Indians.
“When he missed a couple games last week set this up,” Smith said. “And we decided to go ahead and have the MRI as a precautionary measure.He’s played a few games without any significant problems but we decided just to have it done.”
Span told ESPN 1500 AM on Thursday that he initially injured the shoulder during a dive in Oakland in early June. He said he’s been dealing with soreness in the shoulder on and off since that time, but said that it’s nothing that he can’t play through.
Smith also confirmed that catcher Joe Mauer received a cortisone shot in his left knee on Wednesday. Mauer injured his knee in Sunday’s game against the A’s, leaving after his at-bat in the sixth inning, but an MRI revealed no structural damage, just some tissue inflammation. Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said that Mauer, who has not played since Sunday, would miss a few days if he received a cortisone shot.
Kelly's Corner 
I believe it is important for all MLB players to receive proper care once an injury has happened. Although they want to still keep playing, it is always said it is best to get something checked right away than wait for what could happen. If Span missed three games it must’ve been more serious than a sore shoulder? I also wonder what Gardenhire’s reasonings are for not allowing Mauer to play for a few days? We need Span and Mauer to be healthy and be able to play!!
It takes a few days for a cortisone shot to take full effect.
A cortisone shot takes a few days AND they want to take NO CHANCES with Mauer. The division is theirs and they need to be gunning on all cylinders for the post-season. Let the guy rest a little!