It might even be a bit of a stretch to call it a setback, but Texas Rangers starting pitcher Matt Harrison experienced neck stiffness and was scratched from throwing batting practice on Tuesday morning in Surprise, Ariz.
The lefty, who was the Rangers' Opening Day starter in 2013 before suffering a back injury and being shut down for the season after two bad starts and undergoing three surgeries, said he was fine and still wanted to throw batting practice, but Rangers GM Jon Daniels decided, wisely, to play it safe considering the Rangers are counting on Harrison to be back to health to help accomodate for the loss of Derek Holland for at least three months.
"We're going to be cautious," Daniels told ESPN Dallas. "He wants to throw and says it doesn't bother him on the mound, but we'll take it easy anyway."
Harrison was on the verge of being the Rangers' ace in 2012, finishing the year with a 3.29 ERA, before giving up 11 runs in 10 2/3 innings in 2013 before being shut down.
