Blue Jays Preview: Red Sox in the way of Toronto’s momentum

Game 1:  Friday, April 15th  –  7:10 p.m. ET

R.A. Dickey (1-1, 8:10 ERA)
Rick Porcello (1-0, 6.00 ERA)

A glance at Dickey’s stat lines from his first two starts is a little puzzling.

The veteran lasted 5.0 innings in each outing. In the second, he allowed just two more hits and struck out six more batters with equal walks to his first start. It came with three additional earned runs, though (7 R, 6 ER).

Dickey’s knuckleball was simply moving too much that day, and causing fits for Josh Thole behind the plate. The catcher was charged with two passed balls officially, but several others bounced away from him as they darted in and out of the strike zone.

Given that this is Boston’s second look at Dickey in the past week, it will be up to the knuckler to change the parameters of the at-bats. Dickey will be at his best if he’s varying his velocities and getting first-pitch strikes.

Rock Porcello, on the other hand, had his lone start of 2016 come against the Jays and Dickey in that 8-4 win on April 9th.

It was a tale of two pitchers on that night. Porcello was at times locked in, and at times the most hittable pitcher in the park. He lasted 6.0 innings, allowing four earned runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and a lone walk.

Jose Bautista will be especially happy to see Porcello again, as the Blue Jays’ right-fielder hit a pair of two-run home runs off the right-hander in their first meeting of the season. Fans seated above the Green Monster may want to pay close attention during his at-bats Friday night.

Next: Game 2: Trying to start a fire with an old flame