MINNEAPOLIS — Twins right-hander Carl Pavano recently had a precautionary MRI on his throwing shoulder, but manager Ron Gardenhire and general manager Terry Ryan both said the results were nothing to worry about.
The MRI showed some inflammation, but no structural damage, Ryan said. After Sunday's game, Pavano said the MRI revealed a strained interior shoulder capsule on the front part of his right shoulder.
Pavano has seen a drop in his velocity this season, so he wanted to have the MRI to make sure nothing was wrong.
"We just did it because his velocity's down some, so he was concerned," Ryan said. "He's not going to skip a start. He's not going to do anything. He's going to go back out."
Sunday, Pavano said he'll send his MRI results to Dr. David Altchek for another opinion.
"He'll take a look at it. I'm not sure he'll have a different diagnosis, but he might have a little thing that might help," Pavano said. "He works with a lot of athletes, so maybe he knows, 'Oh, this worked for this guy' and can help me find something to get over the hump. It's always good to get a couple opinions."
The 36-year-old Pavano will still make his start Monday against Cleveland, as scheduled. He is currently 2-3 on the season with a 5.02 ERA. According to PitchFx data, Pavano's fastball is averaging just 86.1 mph, down over two miles an hour from last season's 88.1 mph.
"This was after his last start, we questioned, 'Are you OK?' Because his velocity was 85, 86. He says he feels fine. He just doesn't feel like he has the range of motion," Gardenhire said. "He knows it can only benefit him by being able to find that extra. It doesn't sound like a lot but it is, just that extra little jump at the end."
Pavano will continue to pitch through it. He said there's a chance he might get a cortisone shot after his start in Milwaukee next weekend.
"I wish I were stronger, but my command hasn't really been affected, so I'm hoping as soon as this clears up my strength will come back," Pavano said. "I still have to go out and execute pitches regardless. But this is something I've been dealing with. … I was trying to throw through it in spring training, figuring it's one of those things I can throw through, and it just never really got better."
Sano, Rosario not ready to move up yet
Twins prospects Miguel Sano and Eddie Rosario are both having good starts to the 2012 season with Low-A Beloit, but they won't be moving up to High-A Fort Myers just yet.
Sano, the Snappers' third baseman, was batting .291 with 10 home runs and 32 RBI prior to Sunday. He hit his 11th home run of the season Sunday, tops in the Midwest League. But his fielding is still a work in progress, as he's committed a team-high 11 errors.
"He's doing a nice job for an 18, 19-year-old kid down there, but he still has some things to learn," Ryan said. "He's got to understand, like all players, defense is a part of the equation. I think we've made that apparent to him. And I hope we do move him. It'd be nice. I think all of us would like to see him move."
Rosario, a 20-year-old second baseman, was batting .291 with 20 RBI and two homers in 35 games prior to Sunday. While not as touted of a prospect as Sano, Rosario will likely ascend to Fort Myers in the not-too-distant future as well.
"They're not quite ready to take the next step, I don't think. They might be in another month," Ryan said. "They're both good kids."
Wimmers will rehab instead of surgery
Twins minor league pitcher Alex Wimmers, the team's first-round draft pick in 2010, will not have surgery on his partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm. Instead, Wimmers will opt for therapy rehab, Ryan said Sunday.
"We brought him up here. He was up to see our doctors just to give us a hands-on look and everything was in compliance with what we had from Double-A," Ryan said.
Wimmers appeared in just one game this season for Double-A New Britain and allowed two runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Last season, his second year in the Twins' organization, he struggled with control issues. In 41 2/3 innings with two different minor league teams, Wimmers issued 23 walks.
"That's not an issue right now," Ryan said of Wimmers' control. "It's the other thing. Now it's the injury."
Burton's impressive streak is snapped
Prior to Sunday's game against Toronto, Twins reliever Jared Burton had pitched 11 1/3 consecutive innings without allowing a hit or a run, dating back to April 13.
That streak came to an end Sunday, however, as Burton gave up a hit to Rajai Davis, the first batter he faced in the eighth inning. Burton allowed four singles — three base hits up the middle — and surrendered three runs in just 1/3 of an inning of work. Prior to Davis' hit, however, opposing batters were 0-for their last 34.
Burton has now allowed six runs in 13 1/3 innings this season.
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