Seattle @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 13, 2012 ) Seattle 3, Toronto 8

The loss of starter Josh Johnson has opened the door for Rickey Romero to return to the Toronto Blue Jays' rotation. The once-great left-hander begins his comeback Friday as the Blue Jays open a three-game series with the visiting Seattle Mariners. Romero began the season at extended spring training as he underwent a mechanics overhaul following a nightmare 2012 campaign. Toronto hopes for big things from the former All-Star after placing Johnson (triceps) on the 15-day disabled list.

Romero's return to the lineup comes with a significant challenge: matching up against Mariners ace Felix Hernandez. The former Cy Young Award winner has been his usual stingy self, having surrendered just three runs over his last three starts. Toronto comes into the weekend series having dropped two of three to the Boston Red Sox, while the Mariners had Thursday off after fashioning an impressive 5-2 homestand against the Los Angeles Angels and Baltimore Orioles.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (3-2, 1.90 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Ricky Romero (2012: 9-14, 5.77)

A perennially weak Seattle lineup has suppressed Hernandez's career win total, but he hasn't needed much offensive help of late. The 27-year-old is coming off back-to-back wins against the Angels and Houston Astros, limiting them to one earned run on 10 hits over 14 sensational innings. The Blue Jays are one of the few American League teams to have given Hernandez some trouble in his career, saddling him with a 3-4 record and a 5.13 ERA in nine career starts. He's 3-3 with a 3.75 ERA at Rogers Centre.

Romero's fall was swift and shocking. After going 15-11 with a 2.92 ERA two seasons ago, the Los Angeles native endured a disastrous 2012 campaign that saw him surrender a league-high 105 walks while allowing the opposition to bat .282 against him. Romero, who blamed elbow and knee problems for his struggles, was left off the major-league roster when the Blue Jays opened the 2013 season, remaining in Florida to fine-tune his delivery. He allowed one run over seven innings in a tuneup start with Class-A Dunedin.

WALK-OFFS

1. Johnson was placed on the DL Thursday after experiencing tightness in his triceps. The 29-year-old, who traveled to Florida for further evaluation, is 0-1 with a 6.86 ERA in four starts with the Blue Jays.

2. Toronto ranks last in the majors with a .228 team batting average, five-thousandths of a point behind the Miami Marlins.

3. The Blue Jays have a 190-171 edge in the all-time series between 1977 expansion cousins.

PREDICTION: Mariners 5, Blue Jays 1