MESA, Ariz. -- Chicago Cubs starter Yu Darvish left his spring start on Tuesday with a blister on his right ring finger, but he believes it won't set him back for the start of the regular season.
"I felt pain right after I threw it but now I don't feel any," Darvish said afterward. "It'll be good next outing."
Darvish came out of the game after 4 2/3 innings in his second-to-last spring start. He said the blister opened up after he threw a slider. In the past, it has been his cutter that has produced an occasional blister.
"In 2013, the first game of the season, I almost had a perfect game," Darvish recalled. "I had the exact same thing ... I never had this before with the slider."
The 32-year-old is looking for a redemptive season, as he's coming off elbow surgery that limited him to eight games last year. Darvish has an injury history that includes Tommy John surgery as well as the more minor procedure on his elbow late last year.
"We'll do laser and some cream on it," he said of the blister. "And a Band-Aid."
Darvish said he plans on playing catch on Wednesday and throwing a bullpen session later in the week. At the moment, he's slated to pitch against his former team, the Texas Rangers, next weekend.