Blue Jays set to face Angels in critical Wild Card series

Aug 18, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher R.A. Dickey (43) pitches during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Game 3: Sunday, August 23rd  –  3:35 ET
R.A. Dickey (7-10, 4.14)  vs.  Garrett Richards (12-9, 3.50)

The knuckler closes out this series for Toronto, and Dickey will be looking to get back on track after his first rocky outing in nearly two months. The vet allowed five earned runs over 4.0 innings on nine hits against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phils had nothing to lose, hacked at everything, and more often than not, it found a place to land.

In all honesty, I didn’t see Dickey’s mechanics being terribly “off” during that start, so here’s hoping he slides right back into the groove he’d been enjoying. Keep an eye on Russell Martin during this start, as the catcher has been battling a leg injury but is the only man currently on the roster who can catch the knuckleball.

The Angels will counter with Richards. Can’t the Blue Jays catch a break with one of these projected starters!? The right-hander is now just one win away from his career high, and has seen his WHIP fall to 1.20. You’d have to look back eight starts to find the last time Richards failed to complete 6.0 innings, but I suppose there’s no time like the present.

Next: Blue Jays haul in Baseball America honors

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