Oft-injured pitcher Mark Prior has another shoulder problem that will delay his debut with the San Diego Padres.

Prior's agent, John Boggs, confirmed Friday that the pitcher has a tear in his right shoulder capsule. Prior, who had surgery on the shoulder last year, will be kept from throwing for at least two weeks and then be re-evaluated.

"We don't know exactly to what severity," Boggs said, "but obviously something is going on there."

Padres manager Bud Black said before Friday's interleague opener in Seattle that he had not received the results of Prior's examination with Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday. Andrews performed the surgery on Prior's shoulder in April 2007.

Prior felt discomfort in his shoulder at extended spring training in Arizona last week, and was sent back to San Diego for an MRI exam. He then visited Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

The tear in Prior's shoulder capsule was reported by MLB.com on Friday evening.

Prior, who is 42-29 with a 3.51 ERA in his injury-plagued career, last pitched in 2006 when he went 1-6 with a 7.21 ERA in nine games for the Chicago Cubs. He was the second overall pick in the 2001 amateur draft and went 18-6 with a 2.43 ERA in his first full year in the big leagues, finishing third in NL Cy Young Award balloting.

San Diego signed Prior in the offseason with the hope he'd be ready to pitch by June 1.

"He's a battler and is willing to do whatever it takes to get back on the mound," Boggs said. Continued...