MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins first baseman Joe Mauer exited Friday's 8-3 loss to the Brewers in the fifth inning with neck tightness, as Logan Morrison served as a pinch-hitter for him against lefty Brent Suter. Mauer, who initially suffered the injury on a diving attempt at first base last Friday in Anaheim, is considered day-to-day.
Mauer grounded to first base in each of his first two at-bats against Suter and said the stiffness got worse as the game went on. After Mauer departed, Morrison struck out swinging and remained in the game at first base.
"I've been coming in and getting treatment and trying to get out there every day but today I got out there and it started to stiffen up and got a little worse," Mauer said. "I talked to the trainers and coaches and they thought it was best if I got out of there before it got any worse."
Mauer believes he'll be able to avoid the 10-day disabled list, but it didn't sound likely he'll be in the lineup on Saturday.
"I'd like to be in the lineup tomorrow to be honest but it might take a day or two," Mauer said. "Nothing more than that. I just think I need to let it calm down."

Mauer, 35, is hitting .283/.404/.355 with a homer, seven doubles and 11 RBIs in 38 games this season. Twins manager Paul Molitor said they weren't aware Mauer was going to need to leave the game until the bottom of the fifth started.
"He tried to play through it the best that he can and then tonight it just seemed to kind of lock up on him," Molitor said. "We got in a situation where our first two hitters went down on three pitches, and I was made aware right before we started our offense that particular inning. We only had three pitches to get LoMo out of the cage and get him ready so it might have looked a little peculiar. That's the way it worked out."