Toronto @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2018 ) Tampa Bay 5, Toronto 2

Having been officially eliminated from postseason contention to start the week, the Tampa Bay Rays still have a pair of goals remaining entering the final series of the season Friday night against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. The Rays are two wins shy of reaching 90 for the season and need one more victory to post 50 wins at Tropicana Field.

Tampa Bay has dropped three of four following Thursday's 12-1 mauling by the New York Yankees, but they stayed in contention in a top-heavy American League East until the final week of the season. Tommy Pham had his 10-game hitting streak snapped Thursday but he has reached safely in 29 consecutive games, the longest active string in the AL. Toronto halted a three-game slide with a 3-1 win over Houston on Wednesday to give outgoing manager John Gibbons a victory in his final home game with the franchise. Randal Grichuk, who has hit safely in five of the last six games, belted a two-run homer in the victory to establish a career high with 25.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNET, TVA Sports (Toronto), FS Sun Tampa Bay

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Thomas Pannone (4-1, 3.58 ERA) vs. Rays RH Tyler Glasnow (2-7, 4.23)

Pannone is winding up his abbreviated rookie season on a high note, winning his third consecutive start after holding Tampa Bay to two runs -- both on solo homers -- and six hits over six innings. The long ball has been among the few concerns for the 24-year-old, who has allowed six runs and 14 hits over 20 innings, including five homers, during the winning streak. Pham and Jesus Sucre each homered off Pannone.

Although Glasnow lost for the fourth time in his last five outings, he posted his fourth quality start in that span by giving up three runs over six innings at Toronto on Saturday. He was superb in his previous turn, blanking Texas on two hits over six innings, and gave up two runs over seven innings in a loss to Cleveland on Sept. 11. Glasnow was rocked for seven runs in two-thirds of an inning at Toronto on Sept. 5.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rays DH C.J. Cron went deep Thursday and is one shy of becoming the ninth player in franchise history to reach 30.

2. Blue Jays 1B Justin Smoak is 2-for-21 over the past eight games.

3. Rays 3B Matt Duffy (right quadriceps) missed Thursday's game and will be re-evaluated Friday.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, Blue Jays 3