Toronto @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 6, 2016 ) Toronto 6, NY Yankees 7

The New York Yankees are tightening things up in two races with their strong play of late and have a chance to make a statement in the American League East. The Yankees will try to pull off a three-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays and turn the division into a four-team race when they host the series finale on Wednesday.

New York was just hoping to stay in the chase for the second wild card after being shut out on back-to-back days last weekend but has since taken three in a row from Baltimore and the Blue Jays to pull within 3 1/2 games of a playoff spot and 4 1/2 away from the division lead. The Yankees fell behind three times on Tuesday but battled back from each, finally taking the lead for good with a four-run rally in the eighth inning. Toronto had its own comeback fall just short in the ninth inning on Tuesday and has dropped four of five to keep things tight with the Boston Red Sox and Orioles in the East. The Blue Jays, who host the Red Sox in a three-game series beginning on Friday, are allowing an average of 5.7 runs while going 6-7 over the last 13 games.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (9-6, 4.58 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Bryan Mitchell (2015: 0-2, 6.37)

Stroman's up-and-down campaign hit a down note over his last two outings, in which he was charged with a total of nine runs - eight earned - and 14 hits in 12 innings. The Duke product owns one win in his last seven outings and notched just three strikeouts at Tampa Bay on Friday - his lowest total in nearly three months. Stroman struck out only three against New York on April 14 but scattered two runs and three hits across eight innings to earn a win.

Mitchell was recalled with the expanded rosters and is getting a chance in the rotation spot vacated by Chad Green (elbow), though manager Joe Girardi indicated that several pitchers could get a long look on Wednesday. Mitchell made brief appearances with the Yankees in 2014 and 2015 and has appeared a four different minor-league levels in 2016 while rehabbing from surgery on his big toe. The 25-year-old has made three relief appearances against Toronto in the past, allowing a total of five runs - four earned - in 4 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees rookie RF Aaron Judge is 4-for-43 with 28 strikeouts in the last 14 games.

2. Toronto DH-1B Edwin Encarnacion is 5-for-9 with a home run and four RBIs in the series.

3. New York rookie C Gary Sanchez, who was the AL Player of the Month for August, is 3-for-16 without an RBI in September.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 9, Yankees 5