Toronto Blue Jays series preview: Home for rivalry week

Apr 29, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey (43) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Game 1  —  Monday, 7:07 ET

R.A. Dickey will take the mound on Monday hoping to improve upon his 0-3 record and 5.23 ERA.  There’s really nowhere to go but up here.  Dickey did well to last 7.0 innings in his last outing against the Boston Red Sox, but has allowed 9 hits in each of his last two starts.

Dickey’s first start against the New York Yankees was his strongest of the season, so the Blue Jays will hope that he can find his centre entering May.  Dickey’s knuckleball has been dancing, but all too often, it’s danced it’s way out of the strike zone.  It will be interesting to see if Josh Thole continues to catch Dickey, or if John Gibbons returns to Russell Martin behind the plate.

Chase Whitley will counter for the Yankees with a 1-0 record and 1.80 ERA.  Whitley was called up for a spot start in against the Tampa Bay Rays, but with Masahiro Tanaka headed to the disabled list, he will now take over a semi-permanent spot in the rotation.  Whitley will feature a fastball that lives around 90 MPH, along with a slider and changeup that he uses frequently throughout counts.

Next: How will Estrada fare in place of Norris?