Pomeranz exits start with triceps tightness

Boston Red Sox left-hander Drew Pomeranz exited Sunday's Grapefruit League start against the Minnesota Twins after just two innings for precautionary reasons, the club announced, upon experiencing tightness in his left triceps.

Pomeranz, making his second spring start, struggled in his abbreviated outing at JetBlue Park, allowing three runs on two hits - including a solo shot from Ben Paulsen - while walking three before being replaced by Craig Kimbrel.

"The first inning, my triceps got a little tight toward the end of the first one. I told the trainers in between that inning, went back out and it stayed tight the whole time. Nothing crazy," he told WEEI's Rob Bradford. "Just a little triceps tightness. I think my workloads have been a little higher this week. Who knows. I threw that second inning and it didn’t really loosen up. We just decided to call it quits. I could’ve thrown one more but it’s still the second start and we’ll give it a little rest."

Already behind schedule this spring after receiving a stem cell injection in his elbow in October, Pomeranz - seemingly poised to open the season in the rotation with David Price expected to begin the campaign on the disabled list - now faces the possibility of being set back further.

"I'm behind a lot of these other guys," Pomeranz told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe following his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday.

Acquired by the Red Sox in a July deal that sent top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza to San Diego, Pomeranz managed a 4.59 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 14 appearances (13 starts) with Boston down the stretch in 2016.