Rare knuckleball matchup spoiled by rainout
Thursday's rainout in Cleveland washed away more than just the Indians' series finale with the Boston Red Sox. It also spoiled a knuckleball duel 16 years in the making.
Following their second postponement in four days, the Red Sox announced Steven Wright will no longer start Saturday opposite Blue Jays right-hander R.A. Dickey, who is now scheduled to face Boston's Rick Porcello. Wright will now pitch Sunday's series finale against Marco Estrada.
Dickey and Wright, currently the majors' only knuckleballers, were set to square off in the first such matchup since Tim Wakefield and Steve Sparks opposed each other Sept. 15, 2000. On Tuesday, Dickey told Ken Fidlin of the Toronto Sun he was excited to face his knuckleball brethren.
"Yeah, we've talked quite a bit over the last four years, five years," Dickey said. " ... He has a really good (knuckleball) and obviously if he has made a big-league roster, the pitch speaks for itself, it's trustworthy. I'm happy for him and I'm hoping that he does really well against everyone but us."
The inclement weather at Progressive Field also had collateral damage on another intriguing matchup in Toronto - David Price's return to the Rogers Centre. The Red Sox ace was scheduled to pitch in Sunday's finale, but will now start the club's home opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.