The Doctor, Roy (Doc) Halladay, is out for the Toronto Blue Jays — four to six weeks — due to acute appendicitis.

Toronto's ace pitcher, coming off his second straight loss on Thursday, underwent an appendectomy Friday evening in Toronto.

Blue Jays' ace Roy Halladay suffered his second straight loss Thursday, allowing seven earned runs in five innings to Boston.
(Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

Halladay, a four-time all-star, arrived at the Rogers Centre earlier in the day looking pale and with a sharp pain in his lower right abdomen.

Blue Jays trainer George Poulis immediately recognized the symptoms and took Halladay to hospital, where an examination confirmed the problem and surgery was scheduled.

On Thursday, the team learned closer B.J. Ryan would be lost for the remainder of the season and probably part of 2008 following ligament replacement (Tommy John) surgery.

"I go back to the Abraham Lincoln quote, he stubbed his toe and said, 'I'm too old to cry and it hurts too much to laugh,"' said Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi. "I'd probably say that's apropos right now."

The Blue Jays are also without left-handed pitcher Gustavo Chacin (elbow), left-fielder Reed Johnson (back surgery) and starting catcher Gregg Zaun (fractured right thumb).

"You've got to look at it as a chance for someone else to step up," said Ricciardi. "We're not going to sit here and raise the white flag, say we're quitting."

Halladay, 29, allowed seven earned runs over five innings in Thursday's 8-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox, the right-hander's second poor outing in a row.

In his last two starts, Halladay has allowed 17 runs on 23 hits over 10 1/3 innings.

The American League's top pitcher in 2003, Halladay sports a 4-2 record with a 4.37 earned-run average overall this season.

Toronto held former starter Casey Janssen back in the bullpen even after Victor Zambrano (forearm) was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday.

But there's a good chance the Blue Jays will now lean on the young righty for help in the starting rotation. Ricciardi also hinted he could promote someone from triple-A or even double-A.

"We've got some young kids who are going to get an opportunity now," said Ricciardi. "We'll see who can handle coming up here and giving us those innings, giving us a chance to win."

Toronto had dropped nine straight entering Friday's action and occupied last place in the AL East division.