Tampa Bay @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2015 ) Tampa Bay 3, Toronto 5

It will be marquee matchup of mentor and protege when David Price leads Toronto into the middle game of a three-game set with Chris Archer and Tampa Bay on Saturday. Archer has taken his game to ace-worthy levels this year for the Rays, filling the void left behind by Price, who won a Cy Young Award and was a four-time All-Star in his seven years in Tampa Bay before being traded to Detroit last year.

Price enters the outing leading the American League in ERA with a 2.34 mark (Archer is fifth at 2.92) and could be the Cy Young winner a second time as he flourishes for the Blue Jays. The lefty is 8-1 with 1.95 ERA in 10 starts since joining Toronto and is coming off a scoreless seven-inning outing in a win over the New York Yankees on Monday. The Blue Jays took the series opener 5-3 on Friday to open up a four-game lead on the Yankees in the AL East with nine to play. The Rays saw their three-game winning streak snapped with Friday's defeat and are nearing elimination, as they sit five games behind Houston for the second wild-card spot.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Chris Archer (12-12, 2.92 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH David Price (17-5, 2.34)

Since a shutout at Houston on Aug. 20, Archer has failed to finish seven innings in six straight starts, lasting just five in a no-decision at Boston on Monday. He struck out three - tied for a season low - while issuing a season-high five walks. Archer, who turns 27 on Saturday, has dominated Toronto's power trio of Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, who are a combined 9-for-73 against him.

Price has gone five straight games without allowing a home run and has lasted at least seven frames in all but two of his 10 outings with Toronto. He last faced Tampa Bay on July 28 in his final start with Detroit, giving up five runs in six innings of a 10-2 loss. The former No. 1 pick is 10-1 with a 3.14 ERA in 14 career starts in Toronto.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays CF Kevin Pillar homered Friday and is 6-for-10 with two home runs and two doubles in his last three games.

2. Rays 3B Evan Longoria is batting .414 during his seven-game hitting streak.

3. Toronto has won 51 home games for the first time since 1998.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 3, Rays 2