T.J. McFarland

Orioles' T.J. McFarland elbow X-rays come up clean

Baltimore Orioles reliever T.J. McFarland had X-rays on his left elbow and they revealed no damage.

What It Means:

McFarland felt something in his elbow during his second Grapefruit League appearance of the spring on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox. Coincidental or perhaps not, he was rocked for 2 runs on 5 hits across just 1 1/3 innings in that showing. His X-rays came back clean, though, and there's no plan for an MRI at this point. The 26-year-old southpaw is uncertain as to when he will begin to throw again and there's no current timetable for his return to the mound.

McFarland posted a 4.06 xFIP across 40 1/3 innings pitched last season, with a strikeout percentage of just 13.8, well below the league average of 20.4 percent. He currently is expected to serve as a middle-reliever in 2016. We project McFarland to improve his ERA to 3.83 this season, but maintain his low strikeout percentage (13.0).