Tampa Bay Rays fans concerned after pitcher Jeffrey Springs exits crucial start with arm injury: "Don’t do this baseball gods" 

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs had to leave Thursday's start against the Boston Red Sox before the start of the fourth inning with an apparent arm injury.

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

An update from Tricia Whitaker, who covers the Rays for Bally Sports Florida, may help somewhat sooth Tampa Bay fans’ fears. After speaking with the team's training staff, Whitaker reported that Springs is dealing with ulnar neuritis in his left arm. 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.

However, the word "ulnar" is not a happy word when it comes to fans, as it is the first word of the term "Ulnar Collateral Ligament," which is usually only mentioned in the same breath as Tommy John surgeries. The baseball gods giveth, and they taketh away. All that is left for the Tampa Bay Rays fanbase to cry out to the heavens in a joined prayer.

Jeffrey Springs was off to a scorching start this season, 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 Tampa Bay. 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 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.

Depending on Springs' diagnosis, hot pitching prospect Taj Bradley may be on his way up 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 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.

Of course, as the Tampa Bay Rays already had a four-game lead in the American League East, some Rays opponents are hoping the Jeffrey Springs injury might help bring the team back to earth a bit.

Jeffrey Springs was another 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 Tampa Bay moved him into the rotation last year.