Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Marcus Stroman is likely to miss the rest of the 2018 season as he continues to deal with a nagging blister injury on his throwing hand, per Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith.

There are only 18 games left in the regular season, and the Blue Jays are out of the playoff race, so it wouldn't make sense for Toronto to rush Stroman back and thus jeopardize his long-term health.

2018 was an extremely disappointing season for Stroman, who was coming off a career season. After finishing with 13 wins, an ERA of 3.09 and 164 strikeouts in 2017, everything fell apart for Stroman in 2018. Injuries limited Stroman to just 19 starts this season, and he finishes with a disappointing 4-9 record, 5.54 ERA and just 77 strikeouts in 102.1 innings pitched.

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Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Stroman also made headlines when he snapped at reporter Arash Madani, calling the Blue Jays "f——g terrible," following an ugly loss to the Boston Red Sox in July. It was just one of the many things that went wrong for the rebuilding Blue Jays in 2018.

Aaron Sanchez, the 2016 AL ERA leader, has been limited to 18 starts this season. He missed most of 2017 with a nagging blister injury, and Sanchez has struggled this year with a 5.17 ERA and 1.606 WHIP.

The Blue Jays were hoping to compete for a playoff spot in 2018, a key reason why they didn't trade Josh Donaldson in winter. But Stroman and Sanchez have been injured aplenty and ineffective while on the mound.

Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki didn't play at all this season, and Donaldson missed three months with a calf injury before getting traded to the Cleveland Indians two weeks ago. Closer Roberto Osuna was traded to the Houston Astros following an arrest for domestic violence. Now, very few pieces remain from the team that reached the ALCS in 2015 and 2016.

The goal for Stroman, Sanchez and the 2019 Blue Jays is to regroup, refocus and stay healthy for what's expected to be a painful year of rebuilding.

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