Cubs RHP Prospect Manuel Rodriguez Has Grade 2 Biceps Strain, No Timetable for Return

Hard-throwing Cubs prospect Manuel Rodriguez throws in a spring training game against the Rangers. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)Manuel Rodriguez, a hard-throwing 23-year-old righty who was just added to the 40-man roster in November, left Sunday’s game chaperoned by a trainer after coming up lame just nine pitches into his performance. It appeared at the time to be an issue with his right elbow, but the Cubs clarified later that it was right biceps discomfort. Rodriguez had an MRI to further diagnose the issue, which David Ross revealed Tuesday is a Grade 2 strain.

There are three grades of biceps strain, so Rodriguez falls right in the middle. It’s hard to say exactly what that means because…