Tampa Bay @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 26, 2013 ) Toronto 3, Tampa Bay 0

The Toronto Blue Jays came into the season as a World Series favorite, but they return from the All-Star break as a major longshot to even reach the playoffs. Toronto sends Esmil Rogers to the hill to kick off the second half as the Blue Jays open a three-game weekend series against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. Toronto and Tampa Bay already are well-acquainted with one another, having split 10 first-half meetings.

The Blue Jays made two significant moves in the offseason, pillaging the Florida Marlins in a 10-player deal and acquiring reigning National League Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey in a trade with the New York Mets. But injuries and ineffectiveness have plagued the team, sending it into the second half with a 45-49 mark. "We're right on that edge," manager John Gibbons told reporters last week. "We've got to start winning some games."

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, SUN (Tampa Bay), RSN (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH David Price (3-5, 3.94 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Esmil Rogers (3-4, 3.64)

The Rays come into the second half just 2 1/2 games back of first-place Boston in the American League East, and will need more from their ace if they hope to overtake the Red Sox. A 20-game winner during his 2012 AL Cy Young campaign, Price has struggled for most of the season but has pitched well of late. The 27-year-old is 2-1 with a 1.08 ERA and back-to-back complete games over his last three starts.

On a staff featuring Dickey, hard-throwing Josh Johnson and workhorse Mark Buehrle, it speaks volumes that Rogers was Toronto's best starter in the five weeks heading into the break. Rogers posted four quality starts in seven outings after being promoted from the bullpen and surrendered one run over six strong innings against Cleveland last time out. One of his two losses in that stretch came June 24 at St. Petersburg, when he allowed three home runs in six frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Price is 12-2 with a 2.28 ERA in 16 career starts against the Blue Jays.

2. Toronto enters the second half with one of only two 20-homer tandems in the majors. Edwin Encarnacion ranks third in the AL with 25 blasts, while two-time major-league home-run champion Jose Bautista has 20.

3. The Rays are a major league-best 41-23 since May 8.

PREDICTION: Rays 6, Blue Jays 4