PHOENIX – Texas Rangers starter Brandon McCarthy paced around the tiny visitors clubhouse at Maryvale Baseball Park after his Friday pitching stint with a frustrated look.

Friday was supposed to be the start of putting all the injuries and health concerns behind him. He was scheduled to pitch two innings in his first start of spring training, returning to game action after a sore forearm muscle near his right elbow slowed his progress.

Instead, McCarthy said he felt pain in the muscle as he threw a curveball to his final batter of his first inning, Milwaukee's Gabe Gross.

So after 19 pitches, McCarthy's outing was over. The injury raises doubts as to whether he will be ready for the start of the season.

"This is definitely something that is kind of depressing," McCarthy said. "I felt like I put in the work to come in healthy and only have to worry about pitching and not have to worry about how everything felt. To be going through this again is definitely tough."

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said team physician Dr. Keith Meister is coming to Surprise, Ariz., today to evaluate McCarthy. Texas has some off days early in the season, meaning it won't need a fifth starter until April 12. That could give McCarthy some more time to join the rotation if the muscle heals.

Should he miss extended time, a spot could open up for some of the younger starters. Daniels said in a perfect world, the club would prefer A.J. Murray, Matt Harrison and Eric Hurley begin the season in the minors. That would make Luis Mendoza the most likely in-house candidate to break into the rotation if necessary.

G.J. MCCARTHY / DMN

Friday's injury raises doubts as to whether Texas Rangers pitcher Brandon McCarthy will be ready to start the season.

Daniels and manager Ron Washington didn't want to speculate on that until McCarthy is checked out. The 24-year-old said he felt good up until the pitch to Gross. He faced four batters and allowed one hit. He got all three outs on fly balls to the outfield.

"My fastball felt alive. The curveball felt good. I felt good mechanically," McCarthy said. "Then it just kind of flared up on me."

McCarthy thought he was over his injury issues. He worked hard in the off-season, gaining 15 pounds to 200 and arriving in Arizona with what he felt was an improved curveball.

McCarthy's primary goal was to stay healthy to become more productive. He pitched just 101 2/3 innings last season thanks in part to two stints on the disabled list. A blister on his right middle finger cost him some starts in June, and he was sidelined for nearly a month late in the season because of a stress fracture in his right shoulder blade.

Almost from the moment that he arrived at camp, McCarthy had what he called a mild aggravation in his forearm. He missed his first scheduled start and was getting treatment and taking medication. He didn't experience any setbacks in his bullpen sessions leading up to Friday's outing.

"Obviously, I'd like to just talk about the way I pitched or how my curveball was," McCarthy said. "You get pretty sick of talking about yourself and your injuries. Hopefully it's nothing too serious and it's something we can get past here soon. It's not fun right now."