"Marlins manager Jack McKeon expects Hanley Ramirez to return to the lineup for Saturday night's game against the Cardinals.

Ramirez exited Tuesday night's game in New York against the Mets in the bottom of the sixth inning with a left shoulder sprain after trying to make a diving, over-the-shoulder catch in shallow left field.

McKeon and head trainer Sean Cunningham escorted him off the field after Ramirez got up clutching his shoulder after the dive.

The three-time All-Star was listed as day to day and flew back to Miami before the team on Wednesday to have an MRI, which confirmed the sprain.

"Obviously, it's going to be sore," Ramirez said after the game. "It is sore. I just have to ice a couple of times and see how it feels tomorrow morning."

It is the same shoulder that Ramirez had arthroscopic surgery on after the 2007 season to repair torn labrum tissue.

Since coming off the disabled list June 14 because of a left back strain, Ramirez had missed just one game.

"I just talked to him and he said he was stiff," McKeon said on Thursday. "And I said, 'Well, we'll see if you can get back there on Saturday,' and he said, 'Maybe tomorrow.'""