Chacin shut down with right shoulder inflammation

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Pitcher Jhoulys Chacin said the Rockies will check with him at the end of the week to see if the muscle strain and inflammation in his right shoulder have calmed enough for him to resume pitching.

The Rockies, who shut Chacin down on Sunday, announced the injury after receiving the results of an MRI on Tuesday. Chacin is resting the shoulder and hopes to begin strengthening exercises in two to three days. Chacin said if he is kept from activity longer, the club will check with him weekly.

Therefore, it is not known until Chacin is cleared to throw whether he will be healthy enough for the season-opening rotation. Chacin said if he isn't ready for the start of the season, in the worst case he would not miss more than "two or three" starts.

Chacin said he went into the MRI fearing an injury to his right biceps.

"I'm happy with the result," he said. "It was nothing bad. I've just got to get the inflammation down and get stronger.

"It just depends on how I feel. Hopefully, everything goes well when it start throwing again."

Colorado has not made a major move to bring in another established pitcher, in case Chacin's absence is lengthy.

The Rockies have said repeatedly they will not rush Chacin, 26, who went 14-10 with a 3.47 ERA in 31 starts and threw a career-high 197 1/3 innings last season.

Chacin and lefty Jorge De La Rosa, who went 16-6 with a 3.49 ERA in 2013, were the team's two best starters last year.

Chacin said his current ailment is not at all similar to the pectoral nerve injury that limited him to 14 starts in 2012.