Toronto @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 18, 2016 ) Houston 2, Toronto 7

The American League wild card race intensifies on the first day of August when the Toronto Blue Jays visit the Houston Astros on Monday for the first of four big games. The teams will clash hours after the trade deadline, which could feature some late moves for a pair of teams looking to improve their chances at a second straight playoff berth.

The Blue Jays dropped the finale of a weekend set with Baltimore to fall a half-game back of the Orioles in the AL East but they enter August holding the top spot in the wild card chase, 3 1/2 games ahead of the Astros. Toronto may enter the series shorthanded after shortstop Troy Tulowitzki suffered a thumb injury in Sunday's defeat and could be facing another stint on the disabled list. Houston is licking its wounds as well after losing three straight to Detroit by a combined score of 28-8, capped by Sunday's 11-0 rout. Astros scheduled starter Doug Fister is potentially going on paternity leave and highly-touted prospect Joe Musgrove may get the start for Houston against the team that drafted him in the first round in 2011.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), TVA Sports (Toronto), ROOT (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (8-4, 4.92 ERA) vs. Astros RH Doug Fister (10-7, 3.73)

Stroman pitched a bit better in July but ended it with a so-so outing in a no-decision at home against San Diego. He gave up four runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out seven and walking one, which gave him just four free passes in five starts last month. The 25-year-old was reached for five runs in three frames in his only prior encounter with the Astros two years ago in Houston.

Fister won his first two games after the All-Star break before getting hammered for six runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings of a loss to the New York Yankees last Tuesday. The 32-year-old is 2-2 with a 4.01 ERA in six lifetime starts versus Toronto. Musgrove, a 23-year-old who would be making his major league debut, is 5-3 with a 3.81 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Fresno this year.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros 1B Marwin Gonzalez (hand) and OF Carlos Gomez (hamstring) missed Sunday's game.

2. Toronto is 2-12 all-time in Houston and has dropped each of the last seven games.

3. Houston 3B Alex Bregman is 1-for-22 with five strikeouts since being recalled last week.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Astros 4