GLENDALE, Ariz. — Yasmani Grandal has been told not to hit or throw until Sunday, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts couldn’t affirm Thursday that the catcher will be ready to go once the regular season begins April 4.

That’s the bad news.

The good news is that the MRI on Grandal’s right forearm came back negative, so the catcher was able to downplay the severity of the injury.

“It’s not a contusion,” Roberts said. “I don’t know if it’s a muscle strain with the forearm. With those hitting drills he was doing, it kind of flared up.”

Roberts said that Grandal would be able to get at-bats in minor league games to make up for lost time. But he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Grandal beginning the season on the disabled list.

“If you look at his at-bats this spring, he hasn’t had many,” Roberts said. “To get him back in a major league game optimistically Monday, you’re up against the calendar. And that’s taking out any other setbacks. For us, it’s making sure we do whatever we can to get him healthy, so he can sustain being on the field for multiple days.”