With Blister Issue, Jake Arrieta's Opening Day Start Is Now In Question

By Bruce Levine--

MESA, Ariz. (CBS) -- With the recovery time of Cubs ace Jake Arrieta's thumb blister unknown, manager Joe Maddon was reluctant to say Friday that the reigning NL Cy Young winner will be ready to take the mound in the season opener against the Angels on April 4.

After 34 pitches, Arrieta left during the first inning of Thursday's game against the Giants, failing to get his pitch count up toward the targeted 100. In the Cubs' mind, that Arrieta didn't get to his full pitch count was more worrisome than the small blister that appeared on his right thumb.

"We have not called off the jam yet," Maddon said Friday regarding Arrieta starting on Opening Day. "You want to look at it, and I would say after another day or two we will look at it. We will then try to make our best determination at that point."

The voice of reason in this situation, Maddon understands it's best to have his top pitcher move back in the rotation if necessary rather than missing him on and off all season with these nagging blisters.

"You don't want it to be chronic," Maddon said. "They can become more chronic, and you don't want that to happen. Opening Day starter is always very prestigious, however, so is winning the World Series. We definitely want to make the right call."

Earlier Friday morning, Arrieta had this passing comment for the media, saying he and his thumb are "all right" and that "nobody died here."

The Cubs can easily move left-hander Jon Lester and the rest of the rotation up one day if Arrieta must stay back and work on building his pitch count up.

"He needs to be stretched out," Maddon said. "He missed out on some pitches (Thursday). Normally that (second-to-last spring start) is the big pitch outing, and then you back him up before they actually start."

Will Arrieta be ready on April 4?

"I don't have a legitimate answer for that," Maddon said. "He needs to get a legitimate amount of stretching out between now and that moment for us to feel comfortable with it. Tomorrow or the next day will be more insightful I think."

Pushing Arrieta's rotation turn back to the fourth or fifth game of the season would give him two full weeks to get stretched out and recover from this blister. That would put him in line to pitch at Arizona on April 8 or 9.

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.