According to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca, R.A. Dickey left his start against the White Sox tonight for precautionary reasons due to neck and back tightness. He was visited by a trainer after he struck out DeWayne Wise swinging for the second out in the sixth inning, but he stayed on to complete the frame. Esmil Rogers then came out to pitch the seventh.
It’s too bad, as Dickey was cruising through his best start as a member of the Blue Jays. The knuckleballer allowed just two hits and a walk over six shutout frames while notching a season-high seven strikeouts.
Dickey, who was acquired from the Mets during the offseason, owns a 4.30 ERA and 20/9 K/BB ratio in 23 innings over his first four starts this season. While the 2012 National League Cy Young Award winner got off to a shaky start with his new club, he has allowed just one run combined over his last two outings.
UPDATE: Good news. According to John Lott of the Toronto Post, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons expects Dickey to make his next scheduled start.
