TORONTO (TICKER) -- Those Toronto Blue Jays fans that were waiting for an explanation as to why Roy Halladay has struggled in his past two starts may have one now.

On Friday, the Blue Jays announced their ace would miss next the next four to six weeks with appendicitis.

The American League Cy Young Award winner in 2003, Halladay has been roughed up in his last two starts, surrendering 16 earned runs and 23 hits in his two outings this month for a 13.94 ERA. This comes on the heels of a spectacular April in which he allowed just 12 earned runs and 35 hits in six April starts, good for a 2.28 ERA.


"It was probably around 1:30 or 2:00 o'clock that it happened," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "We were working out today and (team trainer) George Poulios came running down to the weight room.

"Doc (Halladay) looked really pale and said his side was really bothering him. They took him to the hospital, gave him a CT scan and (the doctors) said 'acute appendicitis'. He's getting operated on right now. That's it. He'll be out 4-6 weeks."

In his last start on Thursday at home against Boston, Halladay yielded eight runs - seven earned - and 11 hits.

"It seemed like it hit him today, Ricciardi said. "I don't think there was anything wrong with him last night. I think if you ask Doc that he'll say the same thing. Today was the day for his appendix to go."

For the season, Halladay is 4-2 with a 4.37 ERA with 38 strikeouts and a major league-leading two complete games. In 224 appearances - including 199 starts - the righthander is 99-50 with a 3.65 ERA and 980 strikeouts.

Halladay's departure continues a downward spiral for Toronto, which announced earlier in the week they would be without closer B.J. Ryan for the remainder of the season due to Tommy John elbow surgery. Including Ryan, the Blue Jays now have nine players on the disabled list.

"What are you going to do?" Ricciardi said. "What more can happen? When I told (team president) Paul Godfrey, we kind of just shook our heads and laughed. It's not that you get numb to (all the injuries), you just have to deal with it. It's becoming very similar to '04 with the injuries just piling up."

As could be expected with the high number of injuries, the Blue Jays have lost nine straight contests - three shy of the franchise record - entering Friday's home game against Tampa Bay after a 13-12 start.

"We're not going to sit here and raise the white flag and say we're quitting, Ricciardi said. "You've got to look at this as an opportunity for somebody else to step up."