Blue Jays enjoy win at Tropicana Field

ST. PETERSBURG It was difficult to tell who was wearing the biggest smile before Sunday’s game at Tropicana Field, Blue Jays RHP Aaron Sanchez or his manager, John Gibbons.

Sanchez threw 33 pitches off the mound in a bullpen session and from the minute he stepped off it was obvious the big-right-hander, as well as Gibbons and pitching coach Pete Walker, were very happy with how it went.

“Everything went well. No pain in the finger,” said Sanchez. “Everything felt like it was coming out nice and easy. I was able to snap off my curve ball with no pain, with really no thought. Before, kind of when I got into that last bit of my delivery, kind of at the end, I was a little hesitant wondering if that thing (the nail) was going to split or there’s going to be another problem. But the last four or five days there’s been no issues, so everything ’s on schedule.”

The plan now is for Sanchez to pitch in an extended spring training game on Tuesday in Florida and hopefully join the Jays next weekend in Toronto, though the Jays are not sure what day he’ll be able to start.

“But I’m very encouraged,” Sanchez said. “It’s moving in the right direction. It makes me happy moving forward.”

Sanchez, 25, returned from the DL last Sunday to face the Rays in Toronto and the outing turned out to be a disaster. The Barstow, Calif., native, who led the AL in ERA last season (3.00), lasted one inning when the nail on his right middle finger split, causing bleeding and discomfort. He was put back on the DL and that move has contributed to the Jays’ disastrous start to the 2017 season.

The Jays are scrambling for starting pitchers. Injuries to Sanchez and last year’s 20-game winner LHP J.A. Happ, and the DFA at the end of last week of spot starter Mat Latos, means the organization has had to do the old starting rotation two-step.

Reliever Joe Biagini was forced to start on Sunday and the club will promote someone from Triple-A Buffalo to start Tuesday’s game at the Rogers Centre against Cleveland. There was also some worry that RHP Marcus Stroman would not be able to make his next start on Monday because of arm soreness he felt last week in New York.