Sanchez exits start with blister on right hand

CHICAGO -- The cold conditions the Blue Jays have been facing during the first two months of the season have taken a toll on Aaron Sanchez's problematic right hand.

Sanchez was removed from Friday night's 10-2 victory over the White Sox in the bottom of the fourth due to a blister on his right middle finger. The injury is at least partially related to a surgical procedure Sanchez underwent last September, even though that was on his right index finger.

The previous surgery has led to Sanchez's index finger stiffening up when the weather is cold. In an effort to combat that on Friday night, Sanchez used a heater to warm up his hand, and it's possible some of that added moisture led to the latest issue on a different finger.

"If you go back and look, I had a problem in Oakland, and it started in Minnesota, where it was cold," said Sanchez, who allowed two runs over three-plus innings. "I had a problem in Boston, it was cold. I had a problem in Chicago, it was cold. Hopefully, it can heat up and I'll get through it."

The Blue Jays are remaining optimistic that Sanchez will heal quickly and not require a stint on the injured list. Toronto purposely held off on making a roster move after Friday's win and instead will take a couple of more days before making a final decision.

“Not much. Today was more [of it being] because it was cold out there,”Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said when asked if there was a lot of concern with Sanchez’s injury. “He tried to heat it up a little bit, and then he developed a blister. So now we have to see how he feels tomorrow. The last time that happened it was in Boston, and he ended up pitching five days later. So we’re hoping for the same outcome.”

Toronto almost has no choice but to hope that Sanchez will be ready to take the ball in five days. The timing of this injury could not be much worse for the Blue Jays, because they're already down one starter without any clear candidates to take that spot on a full-time basis, although lefty knuckleballer Ryan Feierabend is expected to promoted from the Minors to start Saturday.

If Sanchez is required to miss an extended period of time, it would leave Toronto even more short-handed, and with Triple-A Buffalo's rotation struggling in the Minors, it does not leave the Blue Jays with a lot of options. Sanchez said he doesn't anticipate that being a problem.

"Honestly, I don't have any intentions of not making my next start," Sanchez said. "We'll see the next few days how it responds, but a similar situation happened before, and I was still able to make my start in five days. I'm not really thinking that I need to miss time, but we'll see. And if I do, I'm not going to be stubborn. I'd rather miss one than another half of a year."