TORONTO -- Toronto Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna told ESPN that he's having problems with a broken nail embedded in the middle finger of his pitching hand and that it is not allowing him to throw his slider, which is his strikeout pitch.

Osuna was given an anesthetic ointment on Monday said he it will be difficult for him to throw the slider if he is called on to pitch in Game 3 on tonight against Kansas City.

"It started against Texas the first day of the series. It started to bother me but I kept pitching on it, and at the end of the series it really hurt," Osuna said Monday. "The side of the nail got swollen and I started bleeding, and I have been having problems ever since."

Osuna said he doesn't think he can throw his slider effectively.

Roberto Osuna has a broken nail and doesn't think he can throw his slider, which is his strikeout pitch. Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images

"I think I will go with the changeup, and my fastball and sinker," he said. "I think I should not force it because if I get hurt again, it will hurt the team. I don't want to risk injuring it any further. We have tried a lot of things and it has not gotten better yet."

Osuna struck out three out four batters faced in Game 5 vs. Texas with his slider.

"Rest is not an option. It is our duty to go out and play and give it everything we got," Osuna said. "We worked very hard to get to where we are at this point this season. Edwin [Encarnacion, who also is battling a finger injury] will be out there doing his best to help the team, and that's also what I will do.

Toronto manager John Gibbons said he's not too concerned about Osuna's situation and that the closer used his other pitches very well previously this season.