Minnesota @ Toronto preview
Rogers Centre
Last Meeting ( May 13, 2012 ) Toronto 3, Minnesota 4
The desire to stay out of the cellar in their respective divisions will provide the greatest motivation for the Minnesota Twins and the Toronto Blue Jays as they play out the string with a three-game series starting Monday at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays are a game ahead of last-place Boston in the American League East after splitting a four-game series with the New York Yankees. The Twins sit last in the AL Central, a game behind Cleveland, after losing two straight against division-leading Detroit.
Two players in the series have a chance to spoil Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera's bid for the triple crown. Minnesota's Joe Mauer (.323) is just two points behind Cabrera in the batting race, and Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion has 42 home runs, one behind co-leaders Cabrera and Josh Hamilton. Encarnacion left Sunday's game with tightness in his upper left trapezius muscle (between the neck and shoulder) and is listed as day-to-day.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, Fox Sports North, SN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Esmerling Vasquez (0-2, 5.88 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Aaron Laffey (4-6, 4.52)
Vasquez's first stint as a big-league starter has been rocky, but he recorded his first quality start in five outings Tuesday against the Yankees. The 28-year-old allowed two runs over six innings but didn't factor in the decision. Vasquez has pitched against Toronto just once, in relief, and retired the only batter he faced.
Laffey snapped an eight-start winless streak his last time out, holding Baltimore scoreless over 5 2/3 innings for his first victory since Aug. 5. Laffey is 5-2 with a 4.57 ERA in 17 games (nine starts) against the Twins, but he hasn't faced them this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mauer has recorded three hits in three of his last eight games. Mauer is 9-for-22 (.409) with a homer against Laffey.
2. The teams are meeting for the second series this season. They split a four-game set in Minnesota in May. Toronto has won the season series six straight years.
3. Twins 2B Alexi Casilla went 2-for-3 Sunday to extend his hitting streak to eight games.