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As he manages the injury he’s dealt with for a large chunk of the season, the 23-year-old knows will continue to linger.

“No matter what, when I play, it’s going to be painful,� Winn said. “But it’s just about as much as I can tolerate.�

While dealing with soreness he experienced Friday against the Rays, Winn said it “wasn’t smart to try to play through� Sunday’s ballgame vs. the Rays. He underwent an MRI early Monday and went through his usual pregame treatment for the knee to get it ready for a start against the Pirates at Busch Stadium. The results on Winn’s knee showed it was improved and “encouraging,� per Cardinals manager Oli Marmol.

Winn said he has dealt with the knee injury for about three to four months and has led to “constant pain.� The 23-year-old said running, including sprinting out of the batter’s box and having to slow down, and sliding bother the knee.

One of Major League Baseball’s top defenders with a league-leading 21 outs above average at the start of Monday, Winn feels the injury has not yet hampered him in the field.

With just over five weeks left in the regular season and the Cardinals 5 1/2 games back of the final wild-card spot in the National League, Winn hopes to get through the final 30 games of the season but will be cautious with how he handles the knee injury.

“I’ll push it, for sure, but ... I don’t want to do anything stupid to hurt it more,� Winn said.

With the start in the series opener vs. Pittsburgh, Winn has appeared in 117 games this year after beginning the season as the Cardinals’ opening day starting shortstop for a second consecutive year.

Winn received an anti-inflammatory shot during the All-Star break to help calm the injury. He’s found a routine for treatment to keep him available and in the lineup. Marmol noted Winn’s communication with how he’s feeling as a key to how the young shortstop has managed the injury.

The Cardinals plan to continue to monitor Winn and do not believe playing through pain would put the 23-year-old at further risk of injury.

“They feel like that’s not a thing right now. ... It hurts him to do certain things, and it will linger for a little bit and then kind of go away,� Marmol said. “It’s mainly just staying on top of day to day, how he’s feeling and what he can and can’t do, but they don’t feel like he’s risking anything further than that.�

Donovan, Scott, Arenado take next steps

Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II showed “improvements� in his recovery from a left ankle sprain while he remained in St. Louis during the Cardinals’ road trip to face the Marlins and Rays in Florida. The 24-year-old has been able to hit and could be seen Monday going through defensive drills with assistant coach Jon Jay.

Marmol said Scott, who was placed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 17, is on track to add change-of-direction movements to his physical activity soon.

All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan has also shown signs of progress as he recovers from a left groin sprain that landed him on the 10-day IL on Aug. 15. (Donovan’s IL stay is retroactive to Aug. 15.)

Donovan has been able to hit off a tee and through soft toss. Marmol said Donovan has expressed an improved feeling in his groin.

After traveling from the Cardinals’ training complex in Jupiter, Florida, where he has done his rehab for a right shoulder strain, to visit the team in Miami, third baseman Nolan Arenado has begun swinging and is set to begin a throwing progression in “the next couple of days,� per Marmol.

How Arenado responds to throwing will be one of the final boxes the Cardinals are looking to check before Arenado moves forward with his rehab.

Extra bases

The Cardinals optioned right-hander Andre Granillo to Class AAA Memphis and recalled right-hander Gordon Graceffo. Granillo completed two innings of relief on 36 pitches Sunday vs. the Rays. Graceffo, who has remained a reliever while in Memphis, has held a 3.00 ERA and struck out five batters over six innings in five appearances for the Redbirds since being optioned on Aug. 10.

• Top Cardinals prospect JJ Wetherholt capped a strong weekend showing with Class AAA Memphis by going 3 for 5 with two RBIs on Sunday vs. Gwinnett. The three-hit game was Wetherholt’s second consecutive three-hit performance and third consecutive multi-hit game. Wetherholt’s productive Sunday improved the 22-year-old infielder to a .328 batting average and a 1.061 on-base plus slugging percentage in 31 Class AAA games.