Roberto Osuna, Aaron Sanchez OK to pitch despite finger problems
Both relievers available for Game 4 of ALCS
Jays manager John Gibbons says closer Roberto Osuna has a slight problem with a cracked nail but is OK to pitch.
Fellow reliever Aaron Sanchez is in the same boat with a blister on his finger.
Both players saw action Monday in Toronto's 11-8 win over the Kansas City Royals. Sanchez pitched 2/3 of an inning without incident while Osuna, coming in for Liam Hendriks when the Royals started to pile up hits, gave up a two-run homer in the ninth.
Gibbons said both players can throw all their pitches. But he acknowledged he had hoped to give Osuna a rest to heal up and avoid aggravating the problem.
That didn't happen as the Royals rallied late.
Gibbons says he believes he could use both pitchers in Game 4 and 5 Wednesday and Thursday if needed.
"We're concerned about it," he said. "You don't want to get careless. But I mean they're not labouring enough or it's that painful. Guys get those throughout a year. You might give them a couple of days. Right now you really can't do that."
Left-hander Brett Cecil, meanwhile, was scheduled to throw off the mound Tuesday in his comeback from a calf injury suffered against Texas in the ALDS.
The hope is he might be able to rejoin the team if the Jays get past the Royals
"When he first had the injury, they looked at it and it was a pretty good tear. But he's bouncing back," Gibbons said. "So they want to keep his arm working just in case."
However, Gibbons said Cecil is not yet able to field.
Cecil, who is not currently on the post-season roster, has been missed on the mound.
"It's definitely a big blow, no doubt about it," said Gibbons. "And when he's not around, I think you appreciate him more. I mean shoot, he was on some kind of roll too — lefty, righty, it didn't matter. And he's so versatile. You can really use him any situation."
Cecil went 5-5 this season with a 2.48 earned-run average and five saves while restricting opposition batters to a .197 average.
Cecil's absence leaves Aaron Loup as the lone left-hander in the Toronto bullpen.