Blue Jays: R.A. Dickey the Odd Man Out in Toronto

R.A. Dickey’s up-and-down season continues as he has his next start pushed back, raising questions about how much faith the Blue Jays have in him.

With one game currently separating three teams in the AL East, it’s crunch time for the Blue Jays and their postseason hopes. (And let’s not forget the New York Yankees, who are now just four games back of first place.)

Each passing day only adds to the pressure surrounding the Blue Jays. As such, John Gibbons needs players he can rely on.

In that respect, we got a clue of how much the Blue Jays’ manager trusts — or more to the point doesn’t — R.A. Dickey. With Toronto facing a crucial three-game set against the Boston Red Sox this weekend, Dickey has had his next start pushed back.

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As reported by MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm, the former first round draft pick was set to take the mound for the series finale on Sunday. However, he has been replaced by Aaron Sanchez, essentially confirming the youngster’s status as part of the Blue Jays’ “big three”, along with Marco Estrada and J.A. Happ.

In fairness, Sanchez will be making the start after a normal rest period, due to Thursday’s off-day. In addition, the move makes sense, given Dickey’s struggles this season against Boston, with a 1-2 record and a 4.57 ERA in four starts.

However, the decision still alludes to a loss of faith in the Nashville, Tennessee native, and rightly so. (You can’t even argue that his being pushed back to face the Rays represents a more favorable match-up, given his ERA of 6.46 in three starts against them this season.) Renowned for usually being a slow starter and then warming up as the season progresses, that has not been the case this year.

This is evidenced by Dickey allowing four or more earned runs in five of his last nine starts. This includes a disastrous four-inning, five-run showing in his last outing against the Yankees.

In fact, the 2016 campaign has been a poor one in general, for the 41-year old. He is on course to record his worst ERA since becoming a regular starter in 2010, and has already set a new personal high for losses in a season.

This does not mean Dickey won’t still play an important role, as the Blue Jays push to make their second consecutive postseason appearance. When he is on, his knuckleball is extremely tough to handle.

Unfortunately for the former Cy Young winner, these instances are becoming less frequent and all signs point towards this being his last year in Toronto. Set to become a free agent after the season, Blue Jays fans will be hoping he can step it up in the remaining weeks and go out on a high.

Next: 5 important Blue Jays storylines to follow in September

What’s your assessment of Dickey’s season up to this point? Do you still see some value in the former Cy Young Winner, or are you ready to move on without him? Let us know in the comments section below.