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Pinto sits out with sore back for third straight day

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Catcher Josmil Pinto was held out of action for the third day in a row with a stiff back on Sunday, and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Pinto is still day to day.

Pinto started feeling stiffness in his back Friday morning after working on blocking balls in the dirt on Thursday, and hasn't caught since then. Pinto said he hopes to return to action on Monday with some light drills, but hasn't been told when he'll catch again.

"It feels better now," Pinto said. "I don't know if I'm going to hit [Monday], but I think I'm going to go on the field and go throw."

Pinto said he's not worried about the injury, calling it normal soreness after catching bullpens and participating in drills earlier in the week.

Pinto, 24, is competing for a spot on the roster as a backup catcher to Kurt Suzuki after impressing as a September callup last year, hitting .342 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 21 games.

Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Bollinger Beat, and follow him on Twitter @RhettBollinger.
Read More: Minnesota Twins, Josmil Pinto