Toronto @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2014 ) NY Yankees 3, Toronto 4

Derek Jeter begins the final homestand of his career when the New York Yankees open a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday in a matchup of teams trying to fend off elimination in the American League wild-card chase. Jeter's imminent retirement is not the only certainty entering the four-game set. With the Yankees and Blue Jays both sitting six games behind Kansas City for the second wild card, one team likely will need to sweep the series to keep alive its playoff hopes.

With New York on the verge of missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1992-93, the focus squarely will be on Jeter, who snapped an 0-for-28 slump - the second-longest of his career - with a single in Wednesday's series finale at Tampa Bay. "I was here when he really burst onto the scene in 1996," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Jeter. "It is amazing how fast time goes. Here he is and he is still playing. It is hard to believe." The Blue Jays arrive in New York riding a four-game losing streak.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (13-12, 3.84 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Shane Greene (5-3, 3.56)

Dickey won his third straight start by giving up three runs over seven innings against Tampa Bay last time out to improve to 4-0 in his last five turns. The veteran knuckleballer has permitted two runs or fewer in six of his last seven outings to give him 20 quality starts on the season. He blanked New York on five hits over 6 2/3 frames in his second start of the season and is 1-2 with a 2.84 ERA at the new Yankee Stadium.

Greene has been a revelation for an injury-depleted starting rotation, allowing three runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts. He rebounded from back-to-back losses by striking out nine and limiting Baltimore to two runs over 5 1/3 innings last time out. Pitching away from home has not fazed the 25-year-old rookie, who is 4-0 with a 2.70 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) on the road.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees DH Carlos Beltran is away from the team to be with his wife after she suffered a miscarriage.

2. The Blue Jays have received at least six innings from their starting pitchers in a team-record 23 consecutive games.

3. Yankees RHP Dellin Betances picked up two strikeouts Wednesday to give him 132, breaking the single-season franchise record for a reliever set by Mariano Rivera (130) in 1996.

PREDICTION: Yankees 4, Blue Jays 2