The Toronto Blue Jays announced that starting pitcher Marcus Stroman has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with a blister on his right middle finger, and Thomas Pannone has been called up from the Buffalo Bisons.
Stroman lasted just four innings in his Saturday start against the New York Yankees, allowing five earned runs and walking two. He owns a woeful 4-8 record with a brutal 5.27 ERA, and the blister injury is just the latest in what's been an "everything that can go wrong will go wrong" for Stroman and the Blue Jays.
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Toronto has had brutal injury luck throughout all of 2018. Star third baseman Josh Donaldson has only appeared in 36 games as he continues to be hampered by a calf injury. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki hasn't played a game this season, and pitcher Aaron Sanchez has appeared in just 15 games due a finger injury. It's the second straight lost season for Sanchez, who hasn't been able to stay healthy in any sense.
2018 has been arguably the most disastrous season for the Blue Jays since their 1993 World Series championship. Key players keep getting hurt. Guys aren't performing to their usual standards. Manager John Gibbons is reportedly on his way out after the season, and attendance has gone way down this year.
For Stroman, 2018 has simply been filled with under-performing, frustration and now a trip to the disabled list. He was centered around controversy in July, when he called the Blue Jays "f**king terrible," and snapped at a reporter.
We've seen what Stroman can do when he's healthy and focused, and the Blue Jays are still bent on making him the ace of their rotation for several more years. But they may as well accept 2018 is a lost season and not rush Stroman back. The last thing they can do is make the injury (and season) worst.