Choo out with sore elbow, hopes to play Wednesday

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo is the latest Rangers player to come down with one of those nagging Spring Training ailments.

Choo said he has been bothered by a sore left elbow and was out of the lineup Tuesday against the White Sox. He last played Saturday against the Dodgers and is hoping to be back in the lineup Wednesday, so the problem is not too serious.

"At the end of a season, when you stop throwing, your muscles shrink," Choo said. "When you start throwing again, your muscles get extended and I get a little inflammation. I don't want to play and make it worse. It's feeling better today."

Choo is 3-for-17 with four strikeouts and one walk in seven Cactus League games, but said the elbow hasn't been a problem when he has been hitting.

"In the first week, my timing was late," Choo said. "Now I'm starting to hit the ball on time. I'm hitting it hard, but right at people."

Alex Rios also remains sidelined with a strained intercostal muscle in his right rib cage. Rios has not played since March 4, but is taking batting practice.

"We're waiting for him to tell us when he is ready," assistant general manager Thad Levine said.

Shortstop Elvis Andrus, who missed time early in the Cactus League because of a sore shoulder, has been playing regularly, but is still not full strength yet as far as throwing.

"I'm getting the strength back," Andrus said. "It's not 100 percent. I'm probably 80-85 percent. It's coming along. It will get there pretty quick."