Toronto @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 29, 2018 ) Toronto 3, Tampa Bay 4

John Gibbons will officially manage his 1,582nd and final game with the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon against the host Tampa Bay Rays, but there will be a unique wrinkle in the regular-season finale for both teams. Gibbons, who is 793-788 in 11 years with Toronto and won’t be retained for a 12th, will informally hand over the lineup card to veteran catcher-infielder Russell Martin for the matchup between American League East rivals.

“I decided to let him have some fun with it,” the 56-year-old Gibbons said of Martin, who will make out the lineup and perform all the in-game moves for the Blue Jays while the win or loss goes on the official manager’s record. The Rays (89-72) will try to beat Martin and the Blue Jays on Sunday to reach 90 wins for the first time since 2013 and join Boston, the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers as the only teams with at least six 90-win seasons since 2008. C.J. Cron reached the 30-home run mark for the first time in his career and Austin Meadows launched his first blast for the Rays since being acquired July 31 as Tampa Bay rallied to earn a 4-3 victory Saturday. Tampa Bay outfielder Tommy Pham takes a 31-game on-base streak into the season finale and is batting .331 since being acquired from St. Louis at the trade deadline.

TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, OMNI, TVA (Toronto), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Sam Gaviglio (3-9, 5.19 ERA) vs. Rays RH Ryne Stanek (2-3, 3.08)

Gaviglio is winless in his last five appearances, although he limited Tampa Bay to two runs on four hits and one walk across five innings in a no-decision Sept. 20. The 28-year-old Oregon State product went 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in May before losing eight of his last nine decisions and registering a 5.61 ERA since. Joey Wendle is 4-for-6 with a pair of doubles versus Gaviglio, who is 0-2 with a 5.27 ERA against the Rays in 2018.

Stanek was victimized by a three-run homer from Neil Walker of the New York Yankees in his last start Wednesday while going just one inning but will open a game for the 29th time. The 27-year-old Kansas native has given up two homers in his last four appearances after serving up only six in his first 54 outings this year. Rowdy Tellez went deep on Sept. 20 against Stanek, who has given up two runs over eight innings in eight games versus Toronto in 2018.

WALK-OFFS

1. Toronto OF Teoscar Hernandez is 3-for-5 with two solo homers, three walks and three runs scored in the series.

2. Tampa Bay SS Willy Adames has two hits in three of his last four games and is batting .325 since Aug. 1.

3. The Rays, who are 50-30 at home in 2018, have won 12 of the 18 games to win the season series for the third time in four years.

PREDICTION: Rays 6, Blue Jays 3