SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Left-hander Yohander Mendez, whom the Rangers were counting on as an insurance policy for their trio of pitchers recovering from elbow surgery, left his start Sunday with an elbow issue of his own.

Mendez, 24, left the 7-2 win over Arizona in the third inning. He had just struck out Ildemaro Vargas when he appeared uncomfortable on the mound. Second baseman Rougned Odor quickly summoned athletic trainer Matt Lucero and manager Chris Woodward to the mound. After a brief consultation, Mendez left the mound and headed directly toward the clubhouse rather than the dugout.

Mendez will be further evaluated Monday.

"It didn't look good," Woodward said.

Mendez made eight appearances for the Rangers last year, including five starts, around a long demotion to the minors after an after-hours incident in Kansas City. He and Ariel Jurado, 23, represent the two most advanced prospects in the minor league system. Jurado made eight starts for the Rangers last year. Since both have minor league options remaining, they could be sent to and recalled from the minor leagues as necessary.

Neither has had a very good spring. They have combined to allow 33 baserunners in just 17 innings (1.94 WHIP).

With Edinson Volquez, Drew Smyly and Shelby Miller all recovering from Tommy John surgery, the Rangers need to have contingency plans. Veteran Jason Hammel has pitched well in camp, but he is on a non-roster invite and has indicated he is not willing to go to Triple-A. Adrian Sampson, who has also pitched well and is also on a non-roster invite, can't take free agency if the Rangers return him to the minor league camp. And if placed on the 40-man roster, Sampson will have minor league options remaining, meaning he would be an ideal candidate to shuttle between the majors and minors as needed.

Little dynamo: Delino DeShields again gave credence to Woodward's belief he can be one of the most dynamic players in baseball.

DeShields reached base on a pair of infield hits Sunday and turned both into runs by taking five extra bases.

Hitting in the leadoff spot, he began the bottom of the first by reaching on an infield single and then went to second on a throwing error. He went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a delayed steal of home, breaking from third only after catcher Carson Kelly had thrown to second.

"Nobody else on our team can allow the ball to come out of the catcher's hand before leaving," Woodward said. "When he gets on base at the top of the order, we score more runs. He just creates havoc."

In the fifth inning, DeShields beat out a bunt, then went all the way to third on a throwing error on the play. He scored on Odor's 0-2 opposite-field single.

Guzman scratched: It was injury Sunday at Rangers camp.

In addition to Mendez's elbow issues and Joey Gallo dealing with a strained groin, first baseman Ronald Guzman was scratched from Sunday's game with left knee soreness.

Guzman left batting practice early after feeling a pinch in his knee. He suffered a torn meniscus in 2013 that required surgery and said he occasionally has some irritation in the area. He expects to play by the middle of the week.

Briefly: INF Matt Davidson, who is adding pitching to his repertoire, will pitch an inning in a minor league game Monday. It is uncertain whether he will face hitters in an "A" game before the end of camp. With innings becoming more limited, that may be tough to do. ... According to research by mlb.com, OF Preston Beck, who attended Bishop Lynch and UT-Arlington, set a Rangers club record for most career hits by a player not in major league spring training. Beck, 28, has 14 hits in 52 spring at-bats over the last four years. ... LPGA golfer Angela Stanford, a TCU alum who lives in Saginaw, delivered the Rangers' lineup card with Woodward.

Twitter: @Evan_P_Grant