page_title: R.A. Dickey
section_title: 2013–2016: Toronto Blue Jays
hierarchical_section_title: R.A. Dickey / Professional career / 2013–2016: Toronto Blue Jays
caption_attribution_description: English: Starting pitcher R.A. Dickey of the Toronto Blue Jays in a game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 23, 2013 in Baltimore, Maryland.
context_page_description: Robert Allen Dickey is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves.
  After limited success in the MLB as a conventional starting pitcher, Dickey learned to throw a knuckleball. In 2012, Dickey was selected to his first All-Star Game, won the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award, and became the first knuckleball pitcher to win the Cy Young Award after posting a 20–6 record with a league-leading 230 strikeouts. From 2013 to 2017, Dickey and Boston Red Sox pitcher Steven Wright were the only two active knuckleballers in the Majors.
context_section_description: On December 16, 2012, the Mets agreed to trade Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays (along with Josh Thole and Mike Nickeas) in exchange for Travis d'Arnaud, John Buck, Noah Syndergaard and Wuilmer Becerra, contingent upon his agreeing to a contract extension with the Blue Jays. The two sides agreed on December 17 to a two-year, $25-million extension with a club option for a third year in 2016 at $12 million; the deal became official once he passed his physical. On February 5, 2013, manager John Gibbons said Dickey would be the opening day starter for the Blue Jays. Dickey lost his first start for his new team, giving up four runs and five hits in six innings in a loss to the Cleveland Indians. Dickey pitched his first complete game and shutout as a Blue Jay in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 26. Dickey would finish his first season as a Blue Jay with a record of 14–13, an ERA of 4.21, and 177 strikeouts over 224​²⁄₃ innings pitched.
  On October 25, Dickey was announced as a finalist for the AL Pitcher's Gold Glove, along with teammate Mark Buehrle and Detroit Tigers pitcher Doug Fister. He was awarded the 2013 Pitcher's Fielding Bible on October 28, 2013, and was announced as the AL Pitcher's Gold Glove Award winner on October 29. Dickey led all American League pitchers with 40 assists and 7 defensive runs saved, and yielded only 8 stolen bases.
  Dickey began the 2014 season with a 4–4 record and a 4.20 ERA through his first 10 starts. On May 24, he won his fifth game of the season, 5–2 over the AL West-leading Oakland Athletics. In doing so, he lowered his ERA to 3.95, the first time in his tenure as a Blue Jay in which his ERA has been below 4. On June 27, Dickey recorded his 1,000th career strikeout, coming against Tyler Flowers of the Chicago White Sox. He would start the final game of the Blue Jays season on September 28, against the Baltimore Orioles, and would pitch 6 innings and yield only 1 run, but Toronto would lose 1–0. Dickey finished the season with a 14–13 record, 3.71 ERA, 173 strikeouts, and a 1.23 WHIP in 34 starts totaling 215​²⁄₃ innings.
  Dickey opened the 2015 season as the number two starter in the Jays rotation. On June 18, he made his first start against the Mets since being traded in 2012, and pitched 7​¹⁄₃ innings in a 7–1 win. Dickey was placed on the bereavement list the following day after it was revealed that his father, Harry Lee Dickey, had died on June 16. At the All-Star break, Dickey had a 3–10 record and a 4.87 ERA. He would turn his season around after the break, and earned his 100th career win on September 25. Dickey pitched a little over ninety-nine innings after the All-Star break, fourth most in the American League, resulting in eight wins with only one loss, 6th best in the AL. His ERA was a meagre 2.80 over that period, which would have tied him for the best in the American League with Justin Verlander (50 inning minimum), had it not been for two other Jays starters, Marco Estrada, with a 2.78 ERA, and David Price, at 2.55. Overall Dickey finished the season with an 11–11 record, 3.91 ERA, and 126 strikeouts in 214​¹⁄₃ innings pitched. He made his postseason debut on October 12, starting game 4 of the ALDS against the Texas Rangers. At 40 years of age, Dickey became the oldest player in MLB history to make his postseason debut, pitching 4​²⁄₃ innings before he was relieved by David Price, who would go on to earn the win. On November 3, Dickey's $12 million option for 2016 was exercised by the Blue Jays. During the offseason, he underwent surgery to repair a tear in his right meniscus.
  Dickey had an up-and-down 2016 campaign, closing the regular season with a 10–15 record, 4.46 ERA, and 126 strikeouts over 169​²⁄₃ innings. Due to the acquisition of Francisco Liriano at the trade deadline, Dickey made only three pitching appearances in September. With the Blue Jays only needing four starters for the playoffs, Dickey was left off of the postseason roster in favor of Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, Marco Estrada, and J. A. Happ. Dickey became a free agent at the conclusion of the
caption: Dickey in April 2013
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