GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Right-hander Jesse Crain has been scratched from playing for Canada in the World Baseball Classic because of a strained right adductor.

"I'm bummed about it but I have to get ready for the season,'' said the 31-year-old reliever, who added that he expects to be ready by Opening Day.

The muscle affected is near the groin.

"I want to get back out there and pitch and not go through what I went through last year,'' said Crain, who battled through oblique issues that first occurred during spring training in 2012. "Hopefully be back out there within in a week.

"Last year I come to spring and have something I never had before and this year it's something else. I have to fight through it and not get my hopes down. If you try to push through it it will never heal and then you're dealing with it all year so we have to let it relax. It's strong, it's like a strain.

Crain played in the WBC the last two years.

"I'm not overly concerned as we speak,'' pitching coach Don Cooper said. "We have the best in the business taking care of him. Jesse was smart enough to tell us when something wasn't feeling right. We're going to nip it in the bud and hopefully it doesn't arise later. We've got plenty of time.''