The team decided Thursday to sit Ryan hoping that rest will help him recover before their Opening Day contest against the New York Yankees on March 31.

The soreness developed during an outing Monday.

On the Jay's Web site, general manager J.P. Ricciardi said the team doesn't want to bring Ryan north with the rest of the relief corps unless he is fully capable of returning to a regular role.

"We're not going to take him unless he can be B.J.," Ricciardi said, "where we use him three or four times a week. If he can't do that, then we'll just let him stay down here, let him keep pitching and eventually he'll be ready at some point. When he's ready, we'll take him."

Ryan underwent reconstructive surgery on his left elbow last May.