Lincecum may not be ready for the start of the regular season, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

EDGE Analysis

He has been grieving the unexpected death of his brother late last month. "Obviously, I got sidelined with some stuff, personal issues, but I'm going to try to get off the mound here pretty soon," Lincecum said Wednesday. The Rangers are preparing contingencies in case Lincecum needs more time beyond spring training. He will pitch out of the bullpen once ready, perhaps as the closer, but Lincecum will need to outperform several capable arms (namely Alex Claudio, Keone Kela and Jake Diekman) to secure the role.