Toronto @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 18, 2018 ) Kansas City 5, Toronto 15

After a steady flow of scoring to begin the month, the Toronto Blue Jays' offense nearly fell off a cliff over the last three contests. The Blue Jays may be able to reignite the offense in short order, however, as they pay a visit to the Kansas City Royals and their major league-worst pitching staff for the opener of a four-game series on Monday.

Toronto averaged 5.6 runs over the first eight games of August before Tampa Bay held its American League East rival to a total of three runs over the weekend. Kevin Pillar's pinch-hit double in the sixth inning seemed to spark an otherwise lifeless Blue Jays' offense, and his aggressive baserunning on a dribbler in front of the plate following an RBI single from Devon Travis resulted in the go-ahead run in Sunday's 2-1 victory. Toronto had no problem at the plate earlier this season against the Royals, totaling 31 runs on 37 hits while sweeping a three-game set in mid-April. Kansas City has dropped nine of 10 and gave up 23 runs while getting swept at home over the weekend by St. Louis, increasing the club's ERA for the season to 5.35.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, Sportsnet (Toronto), FS Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Sean Reid-Foley (NR) vs. Royals RH Brad Keller (4-5, 3.57 ERA)

Reid-Foley is set to make his major-league debut Monday after enjoying a breakthrough season in the minors in 2018, going a combined 12-4 with a 2.98 ERA over 23 starts and two stops. The 22-year-old former second-round pick, who hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his last nine turns, earned his promotion by going 7-4 with a 3.50 ERA while striking out 94 across 82 1/3 innings with Triple-A Buffalo. Prior to that, Reid-Foley went 5-0 with a 2.03 ERA in eight starts with Double-A New Hampshire.

Keller's modest three-game unbeaten streak was snapped Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs after he yielded four runs on seven hits and three walks over six innings. Although he has given up at least four runs in four of his last six outings, the 23-year-old rookie has mostly held his own in the rotation, going 3-4 with a 4.09 ERA in 12 turns since becoming a starter in late May. Keller made two brief relief appearances at Toronto in mid-April, giving up one run on four hits in two-thirds of an inning.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays RHP Ken Giles worked a perfect ninth Sunday for his 13th save in 13 chances overall and first since he was traded from Houston on July 30.

2. Kansas City did not commit an error for a club-record 12th straight contest.

3. Toronto placed INF Yangervis Solarte (strained right oblique) on the 10-day disabled list Sunday and recalled C Danny Jansen from Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding move.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Royals 4