TORONTO — Travis d’Arnaud wandered over to the Blue Jays’ side of Rogers Centre on Wednesday afternoon, shaking hands and saying hello to friends he had made during his few years in the organization, before he was traded to the Mets.
The one person he was not too familiar with was R. A. Dickey, the pitcher for whom he was traded. Like several other Mets, d’Arnaud had never faced a knuckleball pitcher in the majors. Dickey seemed mythological to them. They had heard stories, they could watch tape, but facing his knuckleball live is a unique experience.