MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Twins right-hander Kevin Slowey will skip his next start because of a strained right biceps that forced him to leave Thursday's game in the fourth inning.
Slowey said Friday that he felt no more discomfort from the injury when he came to the ballpark, but the team is going to be cautious with the 23-year-old, who was the club's 2007 minor league player of the year.
"We've got time here," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "He'll miss his next start and we've got time after that and we'll see where he's at."
Slowey looked sharp in the first three innings of his start against the Angels, but he gave up three runs in the third, and Gardenhire came to the mound to check on him when saw Slowey shaking his arm.
Gardenhire pulled Slowey, who said the tightness in his arm scared him at first because he's never had a history of arm problems.
"When you don't feel the way you always feel, it's a little scary," Slowey said. "You just want them to tell you what's wrong right there."
Gardenhire said the team will not place Slowey on the disabled list yet, waiting instead to see how he progresses over the next week.
The injury won't affect the plans for Francisco Liriano, who is coming back from elbow surgery that kept him out all last season.
Liriano pitched at Class-A Fort Myers on Thursday. Gardenhire said Liriano threw 82 pitches, with his fastball clocking 91-93 mph.
The manager said he was told "it looked like he had other things on his mind, which is understandable."
Liriano's wife recently gave birth to the couple's first child. He is scheduled to make a start for Triple-A Rochester before the team considers bringing him into the rotation.