New York @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 20, 2013 ) NY Yankees 5, Toronto 3

Brett Lawrie has struggled mightily in his return to the Toronto Blue Jays lineup. The enigmatic third baseman will try to break out of his slump as the Blue Jays conclude their three-game series Sunday afternoon against the visiting New York Yankees. Lawrie missed the first 13 games with an oblique injury and is just 2-for-19 to start the year. He had a hand in a critical error in Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Yankees and struck out to end the game.

Lawrie isn't the only Toronto hitter in need of a surge, putting extra pressure on Sunday starter Josh Johnson. The hard-throwing right-hander is coming off his best outing of the young season, and will need to be just as sharp to help the Blue Jays avoid the sweep. New York counters with Ivan Nova, whose homer-prone tendencies may be exactly what Toronto needs to rediscover its offensive form.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Rogers Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (1-1, 5.59 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Josh Johnson (0-1, 6.91)

Nova saw his home run total jump from 13 in 2011 to 28 a season ago, a major reason for an alarming increase in ERA (5.02) and WHIP (1.47). The 26-year-old has yet to yield a homer in 2013, but has only thrown 9 2/3 innings in two starts as high pitch counts have curtailed his ability to go deep into games. Nova is 3-2 with a 4.00 ERA in seven career appearances (six starts) against the Blue Jays.

Concerns over Johnson's diminished velocity appear to be premature. Johnson's fastball was nearly five mph slower than usual in a loss at Detroit, where he dealt with cold, rainy conditions at Comerica Park. Back in the warmer, drier confines of the Rogers Centre last time out, Johnson limited the Chicago White Sox to two runs on four hits over seven solid innings. He prevailed in his only previous encounter with the Yankees.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista is 3-for-8 with a home run, four RBIs and four walks lifetime against Nova.

2. The Yankees have won four of the past five meetings in Toronto.

3. New York LF Vernon Wells went deep in the first two games of the series and has five home runs in 62 career at-bats against his former team.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Yankees 3