Rays' Jeffrey Springs exits with ulnar inflammation in pitching arm

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Jeffrey Springs left Thursday's game against the Boston Red Sox in the fourth inning because of inflammation in his pitching arm.

The Rays announced Springs has been diagnosed with «left arm ulnar neuritis» and will be reevaluated Friday morning.

Springs looked down at his pitching hand after throwing an 0-2 pitch to Boston's Justin Turner. The left-hander threw an additional warmup pitch as Rays manager Kevin Cash and a team trainer looked on before leaving the game.

The undefeated Rays replaced Springs with fellow left-hander Garrett Cleavinger. Tampa Bay was seeking the first 13-0 start in Major League Baseball since the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers, who also won their first 13 games.

Springs, 30, was off to an outstanding start, posting a 0.56 ERA over his first three starts, with 24 strikeouts in 16 innings.