Toronto @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 25, 2016 ) Toronto 8, NY Yankees 4

Alex Rodriguez will come off the disabled list and rejoin the lineup Thursday afternoon, when the New York Yankees host the Toronto Blue Jays in the rubber match of their three-game set. The Blue Jays rebounded from a 6-0 drubbing in the series opener with an 8-4 victory on Wednesday that snapped the Yankees' six-game winning streak.

Rodriguez, sidelined since injuring a hamstring against Baltimore on May 3, capped a two-game rehab stint at Double-A Trenton with a two-run homer Wednesday. His return comes just in time for New York, which sent slumping first baseman Mark Teixeira for an MRI exam to determine the cause of his neck spasms. Ex-Yankee Russell Martin clubbed a pair of homers and Michael Saunders added a two-run shot for the Blue Jays, who halted a string of 21 straight defeats when giving up at least four runs. Toronto pushed Aaron Sanchez back a day to allow J.A. Happ to face CC Sabathia in a matchup of left-handers in the series finale.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (5-2, 3.43 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (3-2, 3.41)

Happ, who opened the season by winning his first five decisions, lost his second straight start despite limiting Minnesota to three runs and three hits over 7 1/3 innings on Saturday. He was shelled by Tampa Bay for eight runs in two-plus frames in his previous turn, the only time he failed to pitch at least six innings this season. Happ yielded one run over six frames versus the Yankees on April 13 to improve to 4-2 with a 4.50 ERA against them.

Sabathia showed no ill effects from a groin injury in his return from the disabled list, striking out a season-high eight while allowing one run and three hits over six innings in an 8-3 win at Oakland on Saturday. He tossed a masterpiece in his last start before going on the shelf, blanking Baltimore on six hits over seven frames. Sabathia is 15-6 lifetime against the Blue Jays and has held slugger Jose Bautista to three hits in 31 at-bats, including 10 strikeouts.

WALK-OFFS

1. The homers by Martin and Saunders marked the first time in franchise history that two Canadians went deep in the same game.

2. The Yankees fell to 17-2 when scoring at least four runs in a contest.

3. With SS Troy Tulowitzki (quadriceps) sitting out Wednesday, Toronto activated 2B Devon Travis from the disabled list.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Blue Jays 3