DUNEDIN, Fla. — Toronto Blue Jays closer B.J. Ryan complained of soreness in his throwing arm and will be held out of games for at least a few days.

Ryan, who pitched in only five games last year before having Tommy John elbow surgery in May, threw his second scoreless inning of the spring on Monday. He later reported minor soreness in his biceps and forearm.

"I'm always the type of guy who would get a second-day soreness," Ryan said today. "Hopefully it's just a little tightness in there, and we can get it calmed down."

Manager John Gibbons said he was optimistic Ryan would be OK.

"It might be in a couple of days," said Gibbons, "When he is ready to go we will get him in a game."

Said general manager J.P. Ricciardi: "He is throwing every day and we are monitoring him. I don't think this is a setback; he is ahead of schedule.

"We need to have B.J. for the whole year, not half a year. So we are treating it with kid gloves."

If Ryan isn't ready for the start of the season, the team has other closer candidates: Jeremy Accardo saved 30 games last season, and veteran Armando Benitez agreed to a minor league deal last week.