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Shaun Anderson likely to miss time after blister became ‘an issue’

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Shaun Anderson’s most deceptive delivery came after the Giants’ 4-1 loss.

The rookie starter, wearing a hoodie, kept both hands buried in his middle pocket, wanting to keep his right middle finger away from the public eye. According to Anderson, there’s one active and one dormant blister on that throwing hand; he said he dealt this week with a blister that had cropped up and thought he was past it. Then another “underneath” came to the surface Wednesday.

“Felt good,” Anderson said after the Giants were swept by the wild-card threat Nationals at Oracle Park. “And then the second broke open in the second inning and it just kind of started to become an issue.”

Anderson’s first inning wasn’t pretty, with two singles and a ground out digging a 1-0 hole. His second was better, his third much worse, Gerardo’s Parra’s three-run homer providing the final cushion for the Nationals.

Anderson has struggled mightily since June, throwing 31 1/3 innings and allowing 27 runs (7.76 ERA). While giving the requisite, “That’s no excuse for what happened,” Anderson had little control, walking two and was removed after 66 pitches. One start was cut off and at least another likely will be postponed, with Bruce Bochy signaling Anderson likely will miss a start.

Anderson, who has kept quiet about the blisters, said he hasn’t dealt them much in his past.

“This was kind of unexpected and caught me by surprise,” said the 24-year-old. “I thought things were fine before the game. I don’t know.”

Bochy bemoaned the fact Anderson’s arsenal looked much better.

“I thought he had some of his best stuff today,” Bochy said of Anderson, who struck out two and walked three in his three innings. “… We just felt like we had to get him out of there before it got worse.”

Bochy said the Giants would check on Anderson again before making a final decision about his next start. But even without the blister issue, it’s possible Anderson, who last week was pushed back a day, could have taken a break from the major league team.

He felt “a lot better than I felt in recent outings” until the blister, said Anderson, who began July with a 3.86 ERA and now carries a 5.33 ERA.