SURPRISE, Ariz. — The last thing needed by Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain, after an injury-filled 2012, was an injury early in camp.

So his first reaction Sunday was disbelief after feeling a twinge on the top of his right hand while working in the batting cage. The soreness is not believed to be serious but the Royals, as a precaution, pulled him from regular batting practice.

“I think I’m fine,” Cain said, “but I don’t know. We’ll see. I’m getting it looked at later.”

Groin, hip and hamstring injuries limited Cain, 26, to only 61 games in 2012.

“We really need him to be healthy,” manager Ned Yost said. “We think he’s fine. He’s just got a little soreness in his hand. We told him to take it easy (in batting practice), but he’s able to do all of his other stuff.”

Teaford cleared

Lefty Everett Teaford received clearance to return to a full workout Sunday and is scheduled to resume his throwing program on Monday.

Teaford said he felt a “little impingement” in his shoulder’s range of motion Wednesday, which prompted the training staff to curtail his activity.

Lefty Danny Duffy is also scheduled Monday for his third mound workout in his recovery from Tommy John surgery to replace an elbow ligament. He threw 18 and 26 pitches in previous outings with no negative effects.

WBC preview

The intrasquad games scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday are now being framed as an in-house World Baseball Classic-style competition.

“We’ve got an all-Latin team against an all-USA team (in the first game),” Yost said. “Just to have some fun. The second game is going to be the same, but we don’t have enough Latin pitchers. We have to split the pitchers up.”

Lineups will be posted Monday, but revised pitching assignments are already out.

Bruce Chen will start for the World team, followed by Luis Mendoza, Kelvin Herrera, Guillermo Moscoso, Francisley Bueno, Sugar Ray Marimon and Noel Arguelles. The USA team will start Nate Adcock followed by Tim Collins, Michael Mariot, Chris Dwyer, Blaine Boyer and Donnie Joseph.

A previous listing showed Chen and Mendoza as Tuesday’s starters.

Luke Hochevar is starting Wednesday for the USA team followed by Greg Holland, Dan Wheeler, Louis Coleman and Ryan Verdugo. John Lamb will start for the World team followed by Aaron Crow, J.C. Gutierrez, Brian Sanches and Atahualpa Severino.

Butler as first choice

Billy Butler won the Silver Slugger award last season for designated hitters, so it’s probably no surprise that LestersLegends.com, an online fantasy site, pegged him as the top choice when drafting a DH in fantasy leagues.

That rating is not based on early spring form.

“My swing is not dialed in right now,” Butler said. “My swing is doing what my golf swing does. Hooking. Everything is hooking.”

LesterLegends.com touts Butler by saying he “blew up last year with a .313-72-29-107-2 line He’s a career .300 hitter and now that he’s added the power, he’s become more dangerous and valuable.”

The rest of the top five: David Ortiz, Boston; Mark Trumbo, Los Angeles, Victor Martinez, Detroit; and Chris Davis, Baltimore.