NEW YORK — Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman had to leave Monday’s game against the New York Yankees after five innings with a blister on his right ring finger.
Stroman, the second Blue Jays pitcher to have a blister on his finger this season, appeared bothered after throwing a pitch in the fifth inning. Toronto’s trainer came to the mound to check on the 26-year-old but Stroman stayed in to finish the inning. He did not return for the sixth.
Stroman threw 79 pitches, allowing five hits, two walks and two runs in Toronto’s 6-3 loss. He also struck out three and held the Yankees scoreless through his final four innings of work.
The Blue Jays’ pitching staff has been riddled with injuries this season, including blister and finger nail problems that have limited right-hander Aaron Sanchez to just five major league starts.
Sanchez developed the blister during spring training and has pitched only 24 1.3 innings for Toronto this season. The 25-year-old also underwent a procedure in April to remove part of his finger nail in hopes that that would stop the blister from re-forming.
Sanchez returned to the big league team Monday after pitching 4 1/3 innings in a rehab start with triple-A Buffalo on Sunday. He’s expected to start for Toronto against the Houston Astros later this week.