MIAMI -- Nationals right-hander Joe Ross left Wednesday night's 3-1 win over the Marlins early with a blister on his right middle finger. Ross does not consider the blister serious, but he was also unsure if he would be able to make his next start, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday against the Phillies.
"I guess worst comes to worst, I just skip one and have it be 100 percent for the next one," Ross said.
Ross first began to feel the blister in the first inning when he tried to throw his slider. He had a feeling his outing would be cut short then, but he still battled to toss a pair of scoreless innings.
In between innings, team trainers tried to work on the blister. The Nationals considered pulling Ross in the second, but he was set to lead off the third and stayed in the game to hit because manager Dusty Baker did not want to burn a bench player so early in the game when he knew he would turn the game over to his bullpen.
"'Hey, help yourself out,'" Baker told Ross. "'Get out there and get on base.'"

Ross did just that, drawing a leadoff walk and eventually scoring from first base on Bryce Harper's double. The injury eventually forced Ross out of the game in the bottom of the third.
"I guess it was a nice finish to a short outing," Ross said.