The Toronto Blue Jays are proceeding with caution after Aaron Sanchez appeared to aggravate a blister on his throwing hand Sunday.

"I don't want to make excuses. I have to find a way to get deep into the game, but obviously it didn't help," Sanchez told reporters after lasting only 3 2/3 innings in Toronto's 11-8 loss to Boston.

Sanchez said the blister has been around since the start of the season, but the discomfort returned immediately after the first few pitches of the game.

"At the start of Spring Training, it was a blister. I maybe got it once or twice before the All-Star break and it was a hot spot and then it was a blister again," he said.

"It's just one of those things where it comes and goes. It's something that we've stayed on top of all year. You just don't know with it. I've kept it tame pretty much the whole year and hopefully I can continue that after today."

The young right-hander, who was visited by the team's trainer before giving up a two-run RBI to Xander Bogaerts in the fourth, likely won't start again until Sept. 19 in Seattle, manager John Gibbons said.

A Cy Young candidate for most of the season, Sanchez is 13-2 with a 3.13 ERA. He's stumbled of late, though, possibly because of the blister, posting a combined 4.65 ERA over his past seven starts.