Blue Jays LIVE Game Thread 25: Blue Jays (11-13) vs Red Sox (12-13)

Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Thanks for joining me for today’s Blue Jays Game Live Thread! Today is R.A. Dickey Bobblehead Day!

The Blue Jays look to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Boston Red Sox. I’d say they look to avoid embrassment, but this home stand has been just that. After painfully dropping 2/3 to the Orioles, the Jays followed that up with losing the first two against the Red Sox. The Jays will look to add a win today and go 2-4 on this home stand. Ugh.

The Blue Jays will send R.A. Dickey to the mound on his bobblehead day. Dickey is seeing his ERA come down to Earth a bit. It still sits at 5.90 thanks to an ugly 1.62 WHIP. Dickey will look to improve on these numbers being that he is pitching inside the Rogers Centre again. Dickey is 0-2 against the Red Sox over the last few years sporting a 6.88 ERA. The key for Dickey will be to cut down on the walks. If he can, he should be in good shape to stay in the game for longer than 6 innings. If not, fans will be shaking their heads more than his bobblehead. This might be a good time to remind you of a piece I wrote for Blue Jays From Away back on April 20th that examines Dickey’s apparent long leash. If Dickey struggles, it may come from Will Middlebrooks who has a .500 average against him in 6 AB, including 2 HR. Dustin Pedroia is hitting a paltry .111 against Dickey.

The Red Sox will challenge the Jays hitters with Jon Lester. The Jays will be in tough. Lester’s numbers against the Blue Jays are REALLY good. He’s 15-7 with a 3.55 ERA and 157 K’s. This season, Lester is anchoring the Sox rotation going 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA. Against the lefty, Colby Rasmus will get the day off. Jose Bautista will get the start in CF. This might sound like a good idea considering the lefty-lefty matchup. But, there really isn’t a Blue Jay that has had success against Lester and Rasmus actually has the higghest average at .222. The lone bright spot is Ryan Goins is hitting .333 against Lester. But, that is in 3 at bats. Bautista has 3 HR against him, but is batting .178 in 45 AB.

This may not end up to be the best day to salvage a homestand and avoid a sweep.

Boston Red Sox lineup:

Toronto Blue Jays lineup: