Nationals' Bronson Arroyo scratched from start vs Marlins with shoulder soreness

Bronson Arroyo's fight to make the Washington Nationals' rotation suffered a setback this morning when he was scratched from his scheduled start with what reports from Florida say is soreness in his right shoulder.

Arroyo, 39, returned to action this Spring after injuring his right elbow in 2014. He underwent Tommy John surgery that summer and according to reports today, had his right shoulder cleaned out at that point.

Arroyo missed the entire 2015 campaign as he recovered.

Earlier this month, Nats' skipper Dusty Baker, who managed Arroyo from 2008-2013 in Cincinnati, talked about what he needed to see from the veteran right-hander to know that the former Reds' starter was once again healthy.

"It's really going to come from him," Baker explained. "He'll tell me. The main sign is going to be once he gets to multiple innings how he responds in between days."

Through three appearances, two of them starts, Arroyo has allowed four hits, two walks and two runs in five innings over which he's held opposing hitters to a combined .222 AVG.

Arroyo talked after his first start about getting back into the routine of pitching every five days (or so in Spring Training).

"The next two days will give me a real good indication," Arroyo said. "Usually after you throw, the first day and a lot of times even the second day can be worse. You wait and see how much damage you've done to yourself, can you still play long-toss, can you kind of turn it back around, if I can do that, play long-toss in a couple days and feel decent in the bullpen then I think we're kind of moving in the right direction. If you're so sore that you can't even play catch and get back on the mound on your start day then it could be trouble."

There's no word right now on the extent of the issue, but he has been scratched and will rest for at least a few days.

According to a report from MASNSports.com's Mark Zuckerman on Twitter, Baker said that, "Arroyo complained of soreness a couple days ago."

More information when it's available. Blake Treinen will start for the Nationals in Arroyo's place this afternoon when the Nationals take on the Miami Marlins in Grapefruit League action.

Here are the updates from Twitter this morning:

Dusty said Arroyo complained of shoulder soreness couple days ago. Concern all along has been how arm would respond pitching every 5 days.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) March 16, 2016

Arroyo has said all along he was not sure how his arm will hold up once the innings/intensity increased. Soreness continued after last start

— Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) March 16, 2016

Arroyo, hoping to compete for rotation spot, had shoulder cleanup when he had Tommy John, per Dusty. So he'll be resting at least a few days

— James Wagner (@JamesWagnerWP) March 16, 2016