Blue Jays' Edwin Encarnacion day-to-day with finger sprain

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion left Friday's opening game of the American League Championship Series due to a left middle finger ligament sprain.

X-rays were negative and he's listed as day-to-day, the team said after the 5-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals. Encarnacion has been hampered by the injury throughout the year and it flares up from time to time.

"He's been battling this thing, I don't know how long it's been now," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "X-rays are negative but it swelled up a little bit more than we've seen it in the past. Did that early in the game. We'll see how he is tomorrow. Hopefully he can go.

"Usually a day or two it calms down on him and he's able to get through it. We'll see, it's an early game tomorrow. Hopefully he'll be ready to go."

Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. The best-of-seven series will shift to Toronto for Game 3 on Monday.

Encarnacion, who served as designated hitter in Game 1, was 0-for-3 at the plate when he was replaced by pinch-hitter Justin Smoak in the eighth inning.

"It's definitely concerning," said Toronto shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. "He's one of our better hitters. Obviously for him to come out of the game, his finger was obviously bothering him pretty good. But we've seen it all year and he's responded well so hopefully he's ready to go tomorrow."

Encarnacion played through the pain at times this season and still put up very impressive numbers. The 32-year-old cleanup hitter had a .277 average with 39 homers and 111 RBIs in 146 games.

He also came through with a big home run in Toronto's 6-3 win over Texas in the deciding game of the American League Division Series earlier in the week.

It wasn't immediately clear how Encarnacion re-injured the finger. He received treatment after the game and wasn't immediately available to speak to reporters.

"That [finger]has been bothering him all year," Gibbons said. "Every now and then he takes a swing and it just whatever happens, just grabs it."

Encarnacion batted .333 and had a .478 on-base percentage during the five-game series against the Rangers.

"It's a guy you like to have in the middle of the order," said Blue Jays first baseman Chris Colabello. "He's a great hitter, a pro. I hope he's OK for the rest of the series and tomorrow."