Delabar not expected to miss much time

TORONTO -- Right-hander Steve Delabar is not expected to miss much time after he was struck on the right leg by a line drive during the ninth inning of Wednesday's game against the Astros.

Delabar was hit by a scorching line drive off the bat of Houston's Jose Altuve. The incident looked a lot worse than it was and Delabar came away without a major injury because the ball went off his calf muscle and not a bone.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said Delabar wasn't available to pitch on Thursday night against the Astros, but it's very likely the hard-throwing reliever will be cleared for the upcoming weekend series against Baltimore.

"I could go tonight but I think they're going to be cautious," Delabar said Thursday afternoon.

Delabar didn't need to go for an X-ray after the game and instead was told to apply a lot of ice and to keep his leg elevated. He walked around the clubhouse on Thursday with his calf muscle heavily wrapped and while there obviously was quite a bit of soreness, it's expected to subside within the next day or two.

That's very good news for the Blue Jays because Delabar is a key contributor in middle relief. Toronto is already without Casey Janssen because of a strained lower back, but the veteran closer is expected to return at some point next week.

Delabar is coming off an All-Star season with the Blue Jays and so far in 2014 he has allowed two runs during four innings of work. He has struck out three and walked one in his five appearances.

"They call it the RICE method," Delabar said of his treatment. "Rest, ice, compression, elevation they do all that kind of stuff. Just normal therapy."