Philadelphia @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 28, 2016 ) Philadelphia 1, Toronto 2

The Toronto Blue Jays are beginning to look more like the lethal offensive team they were a season ago while climbing toward the top of the American League East. The Blue Jays have posted 37 runs in their last five contests as they prepare to host the struggling Philadelphia Phillies on Monday to begin a four-game, home-and-home interleague set.

Edwin Encarnacion went 6-for-12 with three homers and seven RBIs over the last three contests for Toronto while teammates Kevin Pillar (11-for-23) and Michael Saunders (11-for-22) have each hit safely in six straight outings. The Blue Jays triumphed in the final three games of their series with Baltimore and hope to take advantage of the Phillies, who have dropped four in a row and 13 of 16. Philadelphia is 4-2 in interleague play, but is coming off a tough 5-4 loss at Washington on Sunday when it gave up two runs in the bottom of the ninth after scoring in the top half of the frame. The Phillies have given up 30 runs during the last four games.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jerad Eickhoff (3-8, 3.68 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (4-6, 4.15)

Eickhoff won for the second time in his last four outings on Tuesday, limiting the Chicago Cubs to one run on two hits with eight strikeouts over seven innings. The 25-year-old Indiana native has held 10 of his 12 opponents to three earned runs or fewer and struck out at least seven on five occasions. Eickhoff makes his first career start versus Toronto and is 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two interleague games.

Dickey has won two consecutive starts, allowing three runs (two earned) and 11 hits over 12 innings to beat two strong hitting teams – Boston and Detroit. The 41-year-old knuckleballer has struggled at home, though, going 0-4 with a 5.55 ERA in six starts while permitting seven homers. Freddy Galvis is 4-for-12 with a homer against Dickey, who is 5-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 12 career outings versus the Phillies.

WALK-OFFS

1. Toronto RF Jose Bautista (thigh) is day-to-day after missing the last three games as he remains two homers shy of 300 for his career.

2. Philadelphia 3B Maikel Franco went 4-for-7 with a homer in the two games over the weekend after going 3-for-21 in his previous six.

3. The teams split four meetings last season after the Blue Jays had won the previous eight encounters.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Phillies 3