Rays pitcher Jeffrey Springs leaves game early with left arm injury

The Tampa Bay Rays' perfect season took an unsettling turn for the worse Thursday.

Jeffrey Springs, who began the season with 13 scoreless innings in winning his first two starts, left Thursday's game early with what the team called "left arm ulnar neuritis."

Springs, 30, was aiming to pitch Tampa Bay to its 13th consecutive victory to start the season, which would tie the modern record of the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers and 1982 Atlanta Braves. But Springs flexed his forearm after throwing a pitch to Justin Turner of the Boston Red Sox leading off the fourth inning of a 1-1 game.

Following a visit from manager Kevin Cash and a team trainer, Springs tried throwing one warm-up pitch, seemed to indicate some discomfort in his arm and exited the game.

After the Rays rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win their 13th straight game, Cash indicated it was highly likely Springs would require a trip to the injured list, although the severity of the injury is unknown until further imaging is performed.

"That's normally how we operate," says Cash of exercising significant caution. "It's unforutnate. That's the only damper put on today."

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Springs came into the game with a 0.00 ERA but gave up a homer to Rob Refsnyder, the third batter he faced. In 16 innings this season, he has struck out 24 and walked just four, his ERA now 0.56.

The Rays already lost starter Zach Eflin to the injured list with an apparently minor back injury. The club recalled top prospect Taj Bradley to start Wednesday's game and he responded with his first major league victory, the Rays' 12th in a row. Bradley was optioned to Class AAA Durham on Thursday morning, but could be recalled for another start if Springs is placed on the IL.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rays' Jeffrey Springs leaves game against Red Sox with left arm injury