Houston @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 27, 2018 ) Toronto 6, Houston 7

The Houston Astros cut their magic number to clinch the American League West to three with a strong weekend and are hoping to keep their collective foot on the pedal and carry that momentum into the playoffs. The Astros will try to move even closer to the division title and notch a fourth consecutive victory when they visit the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday for the opener of their three-game series.

Houston, which is 16-4 this month, whipped the Los Angeles Angels by a combined score of 27-10 in a three-game sweep over the weekend to close out the home portion of its regular-season schedule and move 4 1/2 games ahead of Oakland in the AL West. "As easy as these guys are making it look, it's hard being the hunted and being the team that's in it, and certainly getting some good at-bats pieced together against good pitching," Astros manager A.J. Hinch told reporters. "We're doing our part." The Blue Jays are losers of three of their last five as they play out the string in a disappointing season as they finish their home slate with Houston before closing the campaign at Tampa Bay. Toronto will send Marco Estrada to the mound on Monday while the Astros counter with Dallas Keuchel.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston), Sportsnet, TVA (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (11-11, 3.71 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (7-13, 5.57)

Keuchel is trying to get back into the win column and find some consistency before heading into the postseason after not being sharp last time out. The former Cy Young Award winner was rocked for five runs on six hits and two walks in five innings to suffer a loss against Seattle on Wednesday, marking the second time in three starts he surrendered five earned runs. Keuchel struggled against Toronto on June 27, when escaped with a no-decision after yielding six runs on seven hits and three walks in 5 1/3 frames.

Estrada is winless in his last five starts but was solid at Baltimore on Wednesday, allowing one run and four hits in six innings. The 35-year-old Mexican is having trouble finding any consistency as he was lit up for eight runs on six hits and three walks by the Yankees in New York in his previous turn on Sept. 14. Estrada started at Houston on June 27 and did not factor in the decision after surrendering four runs - three earned - and seven hits over five frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros SS Carlos Correa (back) has missed the last four games and is day-to-day.

2. Toronto SS Lourdes Gurriel Jr., whose older brother Yuli plays for the Astros, has collected seven RBIs in his last six contests.

3. Houston RHP Charlie Morton (shoulder) left Saturday's game after one inning and it is unclear if he will pitch again before the postseason.

PREDICTION: Astros 6, Blue Jays 2