Tampa Bay Rays starter Alex Cobb left after pitching three perfect innings because of forearm tightness Tuesday, and he is uncertain about making his next start. The Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies were scoreless at that point, but the Rays pulled out a 5-3 victory. 

According to Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune, Cobb felt tightness in his right forearm, so he cut his outing one inning short despite having a prefect game going. Mooney quoted the Rays' ace, whom new manager Kevin Cash has already named the Opening Day starter, discussing the problem. Said Cobb,

“Leading up to the game there was a little bit of forearm tightness. I was throwing before the game and it loosened up real well. I got through three innings and it was a little tight. … I was only going four regardless, so I just thought it would best be precautionary to shut it down after three.”

Mooney also notes that Cobb stayed in the dugout for much of the game thereafter, indicating that the problem is not serious. Cobb said that he does not yet know if he will need further evaluation; it may depend on how he feels later.

Mooney tweeted this statement from Cash.

Cobb is the third Rays starting pitcher (Drew Smyly, tendonitis; Alex Colome, pneumonia) to suffer injury or illness this spring.

The Rays took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the fourth (Asdrubal Cabrera RBI single) and fifth (Logan Forsythe solo home run, 2).

Philadelphia tied it at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth without a run-scoring hit. After giving up two singles, Rays reliever Mike Montgomery uncorked a wild pitch that scored Carlos Ruiz. Later, catcher Rene Rivera made an errant throw on a pick-off attempt, which allowed Odubel Herrera to score the tying run. Ruiz and Herrera had each singled with one out.

In the seventh, Forsythe popped his second home run of the game (3) to give the Rays the lead. They scored again in the eighth on Mikie Mahtook's solo shot (1).

The Phillies pulled one run closer in the bottom of the eighth when Chase Utley singled home Jordan Danks, but they could get no more as the Rays got the third out at third base on the same play.

Everett Teaford (W: 1-0, 1.35 ERA) pitched a perfect sixth inning for the win, striking out two. Bryce Stowell (S: 1) walked two to start the ninth but then got the next three Phillies hitters in succession, including one strikeout, to save it.

For the Phillies, Elvis Aurajo (L: 0-1, 1.80) allowed Forsythe's seventh-inning home run to take the loss. It was the only hit he allowed. He also walked one and struck out one.

On Wednesday, the Rays visit the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Phillies have the day off. For now, though, the Rays' concern is with Cobb, whom they cannot afford to lose for any long term.