Bruce Rondon

Bruce Rondon is coming off Tommy John surgery. He had an issue with his neck over the weekend and complained of a sore right shoulder Wednesday.

(MLive file photo)

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Wednesday was supposed to be the day that Bruce Rondon took the final test to see whether he was ready to head north with the Detroit Tigers.

But Rondon never took the test. And there's a good chance he won't have time to take it before the Tigers head north for opening day on Monday.

Rondon did not pitch Wednesday in a 3-2 loss to the Houston Astros due to soreness in his right shoulder.

"He felt something in his shoulder when he got up this morning," Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "He thought when he got here and started throwing he would be fine. But that wasn't the case."

Rondon was on the travel roster for Wednesday's game because the Tigers wanted him to pitch in back-to-back games after he struck out all three batters he faced Tuesday.

"He needs to pitch back to back, I think, before we assume that he's OK to pitch on a regular basis on the major league level," Ausmus said.

Rondon is running out of opportunities to cross that bridge. The Tigers have just three Grapefruit League games remaining.

Ausmus was asked how big of a concern the shoulder is.

"If you can't pitch, obviously it's a lot tougher to be on the team," he said. "So from that sense it's a big concern."

Ausmus said the soreness was unrelated to the neck issue that kept Rondon out of action last weekend. Rondon had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in March 2014.

"We don't think it's something he needs an MRI for," Ausmus said. "But we felt like it probably isn't smart with the surgery he's coming off of -- even though it's not in the same area -- but given the surgery that he's coming off of, the neck injury he's coming off of and the fact that he hadn't pitched back to back yet, we thought today wasn't the best day to do it."

Ausmus wasn't ready to scratch Rondon's name off the list as far as potential opening day relief pitchers go.

"Let's wait and see what Rondon's status is (Thursday)," Ausmus said. "Obviously, if he's not on the team that opens up a spot."

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