Toronto @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 8, 2018 ) NY Yankees 2, Toronto 1

Whatever hopes the New York Yankees had of making a run for the American League East likely fell apart with a season-high, five-game slide at the start of the month. After posting only one three-game skid over the first four-plus months of the season, the Yankees attempt to avoid their second such losing streak in August on Friday when they wrap up the final leg of their 11-game homestand with the first of three against the Toronto Blue Jays.

New York (75-46) trailed Boston by five games to end July before getting swept by the Red Sox from Aug. 2-5, and while the Yankees bounced back by winning six of their next seven against last-place teams, they have dropped three of their last four to fall 10 1/2 games off the pace. Their most recent setback came in Thursday's 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay, which also shrunk New York's lead over idle Oakland to three games for the first wild-card slot in the AL. The Blue Jays are coming off a four-game series split at Kansas City and could be a bit weary after having a third straight contest delayed by Mother Nature, as the first pitch for Thursday's series finale was delayed over two hours. Toronto has dropped nine of its 13 meetings with New York this season, including three of four at Yankee Stadium.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (4-8, 5.03 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Lance Lynn (8-8, 4.46)

Stroman's last outing was cut short due to a blister after five innings in a no-decision against Tampa Bay on Sunday after he allowed one run on five hits. The 27-year-old yielded one unearned run five days earlier in another no-decision against Boston after getting tagged for a season-high seven earned runs at Oakland on Aug. 1. Stroman gave up a season-high eight runs (six earned) in a loss at New York on April 21 and is 0-1 with an 8.71 ERA in two starts against the Yankees this season.

Lynn made it through his most inefficient turn across three starts with the Yankees on Saturday in a no-decision versus Texas, permitting one run on five hits and three walks while throwing 99 pitches in five frames. The Ole Miss product is 1-0 with a 0.54 ERA and 22 strikeouts versus four walks across 16 2/3 innings during his brief stay with New York (7-8, 5.10 ERA before his July 30 trade from Minnesota). Lynn was pounded for six runs on seven hits and five walks over five frames in a loss to Toronto on April 30.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Yankees are 1-for-20 with runners in scoring position over their last two contests.

2. Toronto C Danny Jansen made his big-league debut during the Kansas City series, posting at least one hit in every game while going 4-for-10 with a home run and two RBIs.

3. New York failed to homer Thursday, ending a 14-game streak in which the team hit at least one at home.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Blue Jays 3