Joe Mauer is back in the lineup for the Twins tonight, as they open a three-game series against Cleveland, but he’ll be without two key teammates.

Michael Cuddyer had a magnetic resonance imaging exam on his right index finger today and said it showed no structural damage. He still has swelling in the finger, but he said the doctors are confident that he’ll be fine once the swelling subsides in a few days.

Joe Crede still has some nasty bruises on his left knee, and the knee is swollen. Like Cuddyer, he is not in tonight’s lineup, but Crede will try to go through batting practice to loosen things up a bit. He hopes to return soon. Again, once the swelling subsides.

Update: The news on Cuddyer’s MRI exam might have been positive, but Manager Ron Gardenhire is clearly concerned.

“Don’t really know how [the injury] started but it’s there, and it’s an issue,” Gardenhire said. “We’ve gotta figure out something, and see how long it’s going to be. It’s a strained finger, and they tell me it’ll be a couple days to get all the blood out and should be fine. But it is an issue. I’m concerned about this because this can linger, and we can’t play shorthanded too much. You just can’t do that when you’re playing with only four guys on the bench.”

Update: Cleveland 2B Asdrubal Cabrera left tonight’s game in the first inning with a left shoulder injury and was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center for X-rays. That is the only update the Indians have provided at this time.

INDIANS (22-30)

1. Asdrubal Cabrera, SS
2. Ben Francisco, LF
3. Victor Martinez, 1B
4. Shin-Soo Choo, DH
5. Jhonny Peralta, 3B
6. Mark DeRosa, RF
7. Luis Valbuena, 2B
8. Trevor Crowe, CF
9. Kelly Shoppach, C

Starting pitcher: LH David Huff (0-1, 10.97)

TWINS (25-27)

1. Denard Span, RF
2. Joe Mauer, C
3. Justin Morneau, 1B
4. Jason Kubel, DH
5. Brendan Harris, SS
6. Delmon Young, LF
7. Brian Buscher, 3B
8. Carlos Gomez, CF
9. Alexi Casilla, 2B

Starting pitcher: RH Kevin Slowey (7-1, 4.11 ERA)

Metrodome. First pitch: 7:10 p.m.

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