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Nationals' Janssen diagnosed with rotator cuff tendinitis

Reinhold Matay / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Washington Nationals reliever Casey Janssen's status for Opening Day remains uncertain after an MRI on his ailing shoulder revealed tendinitis in his right rotator cuff.

Manager Matt Williams said the team is not concerned over Janssen's long-term health, but declined to offer a potential timetable for return.

Janssen admitted this weekend the discomfort in his shoulder "doesn't feel like that spring training soreness," but was cautiously optimistic the injury wasn't too serious.

"I don't see this as being a huge thing," he told Tom Schad of the Washington Times. "Obviously when I didn't pitch the last few days, it's never good but I've dealt with a lot worse."

Janssen, who hasn't pitched in a Grapefruit League game since March 23, missed the first few weeks of spring training last year due to shoulder soreness. The California native also had surgery two winters ago to shave down a part of his collarbone.

Janssen thrived throughout the first few months of the 2014 campaign, his eighth and final season with the Toronto Blue Jays, but imploded after the All-Star break, managing a 6.46 ERA while allowing six home runs over his final 27 appearances.

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