Angels reliever Dane De La Rosa diagnosed with forearm strain

TEMPE, Ariz. — An MRI test showed that Angels reliever Dane De La Rosa suffered a forearm strain in Thursday’s exhibition game against the Dodgers.

There were no significant tears or foreign bodies in the elbow, which the right-hander said was an “absolute relief,” but there is still a chance De La Rosa will have to open the season on the disabled list.

“Right now, rest is prescribed,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’re going to let it calm down for a little bit. How long, I don’t know. It’s still feasible he could be ready for opening day, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

De La Rosa, who went 6-1 with a 2.86 earned run average and a team-high 20 holds in 75 games last season, gave up a walk, a hit batsman, a single and a grand slam to the first four batters he faced Thursday.

“I couldn’t feel the ball,” De La Rosa said. “There were a few times I had no idea where the ball was going. I couldn’t feel my fingertips.”

De La Rosa had not conferred with doctors about a rehabilitation plan as of Friday morning, so there is no timetable for his return yet.

“We’re going to attack it aggressively so I can get back as soon as possible,” De La Rosa said. “I’m not a doctor, but from what the MRI results were, it seems like it will be pretty quick.”

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