KANSAS CITY: RA Dickey hopes the injury to Jose Reyes sparks the Toronto Blue Jays.
After finding out the star shortstop likely will be sidelined until the All-Star break, Dickey allowed one run and five hits in 6 1-3 innings yesterday in the Blue Jays’ 3-2 win over the Kansas City Royals .
Reyes is likely out for three months with a severe left ankle sprain, an injury sustained stealing a base on Friday night.
“It certainly hurts to lose a player of Jose’s caliber and personality,” Dickey said.
“I think it also provides us with an opportunity to come together and collectively shoulder the burden that we will miss with his absence. Sometimes a situation like that can really cause a team to jell.”
Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer off James Shields (1-2), who pitched a two-hitter with six strikeouts and three walks and was the hard-luck loser.
Reyes was hitting .395 and led the majors with five stolen bases before the injury.
“We’re going to go as far as the rotation is going to bring us,” Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said.
“That’s really what it comes down. It starts there. No question, Reyes is a big loss offensively, but I do think we have enough depth from our offensive standpoint to be fine. We just need to get the rotation going.”
“Nobody has been happy with the way things have gone, not as a starting staff,” Dickey said.
“We all talk about it. It’s obvious we haven’t performed, not only the expectations, but our ability. And we all feel very responsible to that. That being said, nobody in here is panicking and nobody in here is trying any less hard than normal.”
Acquired from the New York Mets after going 20-6 last season and winning the NL Cy Young Award, Dickey was 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in his first two starts for Toronto.
Against the Royals, the knuckleballer struck out four, walked two and hit a batter, throwing 64 of 100 pitches for strikes. AGENCIES
