KANSAS CITY, MO. - Denard Span and Justin Morneau joined the ever-growing list of Twins casualties Saturday, as neither was in the lineup for their 7-2 victory over the Royals.
Span was scratched because of a sore neck and continued to feel effects from his slide and collision at home plate Friday with Royals catcher Brayan Pena.
Morneau had been playing with a pinched nerve in his neck, which is causing weakness in his left shoulder. But he also has soreness in his left wrist.
Manager Ron Gardenhire said he might extend Morneau's break through Sunday, though he could be available to pinch hit.
"With everybody being out, [Morneau] feels like he should be out there," Gardenhire said. "You finally get to the point where, goodness gracious, give him a break."
Span was trying for an inside-the-park home run when he slid feet-first into Pena, who moved up the third base line to apply the tag and halted Span's momentum. Span said his legs were OK, but he felt dazed with soreness in his neck.
With all the talk about protecting catchers in the wake of Buster Posey's injury, Span's play offered the other side of that coin.
"I looked back at video, honestly I wish I would have gone in with authority because it wasn't a dirty play, but [Pena] stepped way up the line," Span said. "There's been a lot going on with catchers getting hurt, but when you look at the replay, I could have been hurt. He jumped right in front of me as I'm sliding. I could have sprained a knee or sprained an ankle, anything.
