Molina to have MRI

Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina returned to St. Louis Wednesday to have an MRI taken on his sore right knee.

The Gold Glove catcher has played with pain and soreness in the knee for several weeks but has repeatedly downplayed the injury when questioned by reporters.

Molina will rejoin the Cardinals Friday in Chicago but his availability for the remainder of the season will determine on the results of Thursday’s MRI.

“Last night he was limping a little bit and the trainers just thought for precautionary purposes, we had better make sure we know what’s going on in there,” General Manager John Mozeliak told Jim Hayes in Pittsburgh on the Fox Sports Midwest pregame show. “Obviously if you do an MRI it might reveal something, but there is a sense of optimism that he will be OK.”

Molina, who is hitting .262 with six home runs and a career-high 62 RBIs, had arthroscopic surgery on the same knee following the 2007 season.  Thursday’s MRI should tell the Cardinals if he will need any additional surgery following this season.

Molina originally injured the knee when the Cardinals were in Washington in late August and missed two games before returning. The All-Star starter is having another stellar year defensively and will likely win his third-straight Gold Glove award.

Rookie Matt Pagnozzi started Wednesday night in Molina’s place.

B.J Rains