Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher R.A. Dickey (L) talks to teammate Jose Bautista after coming out of their American League MLB baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Toronto May 4, 2013.FRED THORNHILL/Reuters
David Price and R.A. Dickey's scheduled meeting on Thursday will mark the third time since 1967 that Cy Young Award winners faced each other in the following season.
On July 15, 1999, Tom Glavine's Braves defeated Roger Clemens and the Yankees, 6-2. Clemens pitched for the Blue Jays in 1998 and had been traded at his request in February of 1999.
On Aug. 28, 1989, Frank Viola of the Mets defeated Orel Hershiser and the Dodgers, 1-0. Viola had been acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the trade deadline.
Both Price (1-3, 6.25) and Dickey (2-5, 5.36) have struggled to date. They will become the fourth pair of Cy Young winners to have combined for three or fewer wins this far into the season: 1972, Oakland's Vida Blue (zero wins, due to injury) and the Cubs' Fergie Jenkins (two wins); 1974, Baltimore's Jim Palmer (two) and Tom Seaver (one) of the Mets; 2006, Bartolo Colon of the Angels (zero wins, injury) and the Cardinals' Chris Carpenter (three).
Dickey went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA for the Mets in 2012; Price was 20-5 with a 2.85 ERA for the Rays.
Prior to 1967, a single Cy Young winner was named for both leagues, Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers being the last recognized in that era.