New York @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2016 ) NY Yankees 3, Toronto 4

Jose Bautista had a big impact for the Toronto Blue Jays in last year's playoffs, and the slugger is heating up at the right time as they eye another postseason run. Bautista and the Blue Jays aim for a four-game sweep of the New York Yankees when the American League East rivals complete their set in Toronto on Monday.

Bautista's three-run homer accounted for all the runs in the Jays' win Saturday night and he delivered a solo homer and an RBI single in Sunday's 4-3 triumph, which was capped by a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth. Toronto has won five of six and remains in possession of the first wild-card spot in the AL, 1 1/2 games ahead of Baltimore and three up on Detroit. The Yankees ended a scoreless streak of 33 straight innings but still fell for the eighth straight time in Toronto and are 5 1/2 games in back of the Orioles with seven to play. Blue Jays lefty J.A. Happ will try to improve to 4-0 against New York this season when he opposes Luis Severino, who is expected to take the spot of injured ace Masahiro Tanaka.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), TVA Sports, Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Severino (3-8, 5.70 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (20-4, 3.28)

Severino has made eight straight appearances out of the bullpen while posting a 0.60 ERA and allowing seven hits in 15 innings. He was 0-8 with an 8.58 ERA as a starter earlier this year but the organization has hopes that the 22-year-old - who had a 2.89 mark in 11 starts in 2015 - can be a fixture in the rotation in the future. He is 0-2 with a 5.71 ERA in four games (three starts) against Toronto.

Happ became baseball's second 20-game winner when he allowed two runs in five innings of a 10-2 victory at Seattle on Tuesday. He has won 14 of his last 15 decisions overall and owns a 2.39 ERA in his four meetings with the Yankees in 2016. The 33-year-old is 11-2 in 14 home starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Bautista has reached base in 32 straight games and has eight RBIs in his last four contests.

2. New York rookie C Gary Sanchez is 2-for-14 with five strikeouts in four games since slugging two homers at Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

3. The Yankees need to win at least three of their final seven games to finish above .500 for the 24th straight season.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Yankees 2