DUNEDIN, Fla. — Toronto Blue Jays reliever Brett Cecil skipped his scheduled pitching assignment Friday because of a sore shoulder.
"His shoulder’s a little tender," Toronto manager John Gibbons said after the Jays’ 5-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles. "I don’t think it’s a big deal but no use pushing it right now."
Cecil, a left-hander, is in contention for the Jays’ closer role. Right-hander Aaron Sanchez served as closer at the end of last season but is currently bidding to join the starting rotation.
Cecil, whose arrival at spring training was delayed by a bout of the flu, pitched in Monday’s intra-squad game.
Star outfielder Jose Bautista, meanwhile, was scratched from the rain-delayed Grapefruit League contest due to right hamstring tightness.
The game was scheduled to start at 1:05 p.m. ET. But the first pitch was delayed until 2:47 p.m. due to a downpour that brought out the tarp at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium.
During the delay, Bautista was pulled from the starting lineup. He was replaced in right field by Caleb Gindl.
"He’ll be fine," Gibbons said of Bautista.