Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Jeffrey Springs could miss significant time as the team seeks further evaluation of his ailing left arm.

Springs had exited his start Thursday afternoon against the visiting Boston Red Sox in the fourth inning with what was identified as ulnar neuritis — irritation or compression in the ulnar nerve.

He underwent an MRI on Friday and said he was “hoping for the best” after describing similar symptoms to what he said Thursday was “kind of a funny bone, kind of a shock, zinger kind of thing down the forearm,” the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Manager Kevin Cash said before the game Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays that Springs felt about the same as on Thursday.

“We’re still gathering opinions of doctors,” Cash said. “I think it’s very fair to say that he’s going to miss some time. But there’s no update until we are told exactly what needs to take place.”

Springs, 30, owns a 2-0 record with a 0.56 ERA in 16 innings. He has 24 strikeouts and four walks while yielding just four hits.

One of those was the lone hit he allowed Thursday, Rob Refsnyder’s solo homer. When he left the game, Springs had five strikeouts and no walks in three-plus innings. Tampa Bay went on to win 9-3 for their 13th consecutive win to open the season.

Springs made his major league debut in 2018 with the Texas Rangers and left after two seasons to play for the Red Sox (2020) and then the Rays starting in 2021. Last season, he was 9-5 with a 2.46 ERA, 144 strikeouts and 31 walks in 135 1/3 innings.

–Field Level Media