Tampa Bay Rays fans distressed as pitcher Jeffrey Springs faces two-month minimum absence due to elbow injury: "Devastating news" "Major bummer"

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs may be out for a while. The downturn in the prognosis for one of the Rays' top hurlers was reported by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times on Friday.

After Springs had to leave Thursday's start against the Boston Red Sox before the start of the fourth inning with what was initially termed as ulnar neuritis in his left arm, the injury is now considered to be more than a nerve issue.

Ulnar neuritis is an inflammation of a nerve in the arm that causes numbness and/or weakness in the hand. It is not ligament-related, but the word "ulnar" is not a happy word to fans. It is the first word of the term "ulnar collateral ligament," which is usually only mentioned in the same breath as Tommy John surgeries.

Now the fear is that Springs may be dealing with an issue that is related to the ligament.

Jeffrey Springs, who had struck out five and given up just one earned run in three innings, departed after warming up to start the fourth. As Tampa Bay Rays trainers came to the mound, Springs was apparently feeling discomfort in his left throwing hand. He shook the hand a few times after attempting pitches and then walked off the diamond.

Jeffrey Springs was off to a scorching start, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, a .054 WHIP and 19 strikeouts through his first two starts.

A six-year MLB veteran, Springs had a 3.40 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with the Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays. He was used almost exclusively as a reliever before the Rays made him a starter last season.

At the near-zenith of joy for the undefeated Tampa Bay Rays (13-0), misfortune is beginning to rear its ugly head. As the Rays close in on tying the record for consecutive wins to open a season, another starting pitcher has gone down.

Earlier this week, starter Zac Eflin was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to April 8, due to lower-back tightness.

Hot pitching prospect Taj Bradley may be on his way back to the big club, just as he was being sent back to Triple-A Durham following his sparkling MLB debut Wednesday night. Bradley was initially called up to temporarily fill Eflin's spot in the rotation.

Tampa Bay is still awaiting Tyler Glasnow's return from injury after missing all of last season following Tommy John surgery.

Some things in life are unavoidable.

Signing Jeffrey Springs, moving him to rotation was another Tampa Bay Rays' pitching masterstroke

Jeffrey Springs of the Tampa Bay Rays delivers a pitch.

Jeffrey Springs had decent numbers since making his big league debut in 2018. However, neither the Rangers nor Red Sox made much of an effort to make him a starter. After making two starts for Texas in his rookie season, he never started again until the Tampa Bay Rays moved him into the rotation last year.