Neither the Orioles nor Alex Cobb could predict how long the right-hander could pitch Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium before the effects of a nagging blister issue might begin to affect him.
After two throwing sessions, his right middle finger felt good enough to start the Orioles’ series finale against the New York Yankees and the Orioles had given him 11 days off to heal. Still, the only real test would be getting back on a mound in a game situation.
But no one would have believed that Cobb would last just four pitches to his first batter of the game before looking to his right hand and walking off the mound and disappearing down the ramp of the Orioles dugout, perhaps ending his season.