Game time: 1:10 p.m. ET
TV/Radio: Sportsnet ONE 12:30 p.m. ET. Sportsnet 590 The Fan.
Starters: Henderson Alvarez (7-8, 4.47 ERA) vs. Matt Moore (8-7, 3.84 ERA).
Blue Jays: 1. Davis, LF | 2. Rasmus, CF | 3. Encarnacion, 1B | 4. Escobar, SS | 5. Cooper, DH | 6. Sierra, RF | 7. Mathis, C | 8. Vizquel, 2B | 9. Hechavarria, 3B.
Rays: 1. Fuld, LF | 2. Upton, CF | 3. Joyce, RF | 4. Longoria, DH | 5. Zobrist, SS | 6. Pena, 1B | 7. Keppinger, 3B | 8. Roberts, 2B | 9. Lobaton, C.
The Toronto Blue Jays are turning to starter Henderson Alvarez (7-8, 4.47) to stop the bleeding against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The right-hander has allowed 10 runs and three homers in 13 innings over two starts versus Tampa Bay this season. He is 0-3 with a 5.68 ERA during his two-year career against the Rays – all in Toronto.
Alvarez is 4-2 with a 4.55 ERA in 10 road starts this season and allowed three runs and a season-high five walks in five innings of a 4-1 loss at Oakland on Thursday.
David Cooper hit his fourth home run and Edwin Encarnacion had an RBI on Wednesday for the Blue Jays (53-57), who have lost eight of 10.
Encarnacion is batting .290 with 29 homers and 75 RBIs this season, but .203 with six RBIs in 23 career games at Tropicana Field.
Out since July 17 with a wrist injury, Toronto slugger Jose Bautista will not return for the finale but has been cleared to resume swinging a bat after undergoing an MRI on Wednesday.
“At that point, it’s still proceed with his tolerance to any kind of discomfort,” manager John Farrell said. “This will be a cautious approach and we’ll monitor it daily.”
The Blue Jays are 8-12 without Bautista, who has hit .244 with 27 home runs and 65 RBIs in 90 games.
Based on Matt Moore’s pitching of late, the Tampa Bay Rays could be in good position to continue their home dominance of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The left-hander tries to win a third consecutive start while looking to help the Rays complete a three-game sweep with a fifth straight home victory over the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi is with the team. Follow him on Twitter (@shidavidi) and check back here throughout the day for news, including the starting lineups.