Rough week for star pitchers in spring training

CLEARWATER, Fla. – Cliff Lee’s elbow. Marcus Stroman’s knee. Lance Lynn’s hip. Mike Minor’s shoulder.

It’s been a tough week for some of baseball’s best starters and there’s a long way to go before opening day.

Lee is trying to pitch for Philadelphia despite an injury that could eventually require season-ending surgery and possibly force the former A.L. Cy Young Award winner to retire.

“If I were to have the surgery, am I going to go through all that to try to pitch again, or am I going to shut it down? That’s a decision that I’ll have to make once that time comes, if that times comes,” Lee said.

Stroman, Toronto’s star right-hander, will miss the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during fielding drills on Tuesday.

“It was just a freak accident,” Stroman said. “It was a normal play, as routine as it comes.”

Lynn missed his scheduled start Friday after the righty strained his left hip flexor in St. Louis’ game on Sunday.

Minor had an injection in his left shoulder Monday after being diagnosed with rotator cuff inflammation and will open the season on Atlanta’s disabled list.

And, there’s more.

Yu Darvish went down in his first start in spring training. The Texas Rangers announced Friday the ace pitcher will have season-ending elbow ligament-replacement surgery.

Meanwhile, several star pitchers are working their way back to the mound.

Mets All-Star right-hander Matt Harvey is returning from Tommy John surgery.

Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka made his first spring start Thursday night for the New York Yankees after missing 2 1/2 months last season while rehabilitating a partially torn ligament in his right elbow.

Miami’s Jose Fernandez, the 2013 N.L. Rookie of the Year, is hoping to pitch by midseason after having Tommy John surgery.