Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said it was unlikely David Price will pitch out of the bullpen again in Wednesday’s ALDS-deciding Game 5.

“Well, I’m not sure, (but) I wouldn’t necessarily count on it,” Gibbons said as the Jays worked out at the Rogers Centre ahead of Wednesday’s series finale against the Texas Rangers.

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Price, the Jays’ ace lefty, pitched three innings of relief to help secure a victory in the team’s do-or-die Game 4 on Monday. Price said after the game he would be available for Game 5. While not ruling it out entirely, Gibbons suggested otherwise.

“You know, first, David is very instrumental in getting us here, but he’s not here to be abused either,” he said. “So we’ll see, but don’t count on it.”

Meanwhile, left-handed reliever Aaron Loup, who missed Game 4 to deal with a family matter, may also be unavailable for Game 5. Gibbons said he wasn’t sure if Loup would be returning to the team in time for the game. So with Brett Cecil’s season-ending calf surgery, that leaves Toronto’s bullpen without a single southpaw against a Ranger lineup stacked with left-handed power bats. The limited number of left-handed relief arms was part of the reason why Gibbons tapped Price to take over for R.A. Dickey in Game 4, a decision that has been hotly debated since.

ALDS Schedule

The Jays do have a pair of right-handed relievers — LaTroy Hawkins and the recently recalled Ryan Tepera — who actually have reverse platoon splits, meaning they fare better against opposite-handed hitters. So they could be used in a key spot against one of the Rangers’ dangerous lefties on Wednesday.

But with Marcus Stroman on the mound, Gibbons is hoping his budding ace will go seven or eight innings so he can hand the ball straight to the late-inning combo of Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna.