By the end of action Friday, the Toronto Blue Jays could be in a post-season spot.
Canada's Jameson Taillon is set to return from injury to start for the Blue Jays against the Kansas City Royals (Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT) in the opener of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.
A win would go a long way toward leapfrogging the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final American League wild-card berth — at least for one night.
But while the Royals, last in the AL Central at 63-78, appear an easy matchup on paper, the Blue Jays (70-71) know firsthand they are anything but after dropping two of three to the young squad at home in late August.
It'll be up to Taillon to quiet the Royals offence, which exploded for 13 runs in the series finale at Rogers Centre.
Taillon, 34, has not made an appearance since Aug. 10 against the Boston Red Sox, when he left a start after just four innings with right forearm tendinitis.
In two starts with the Blue Jays since being acquired from the Chicago Cubs slightly before the trade deadline, the veteran righty has tossed eight innings with seven hits, three earned runs, seven strikeouts and five walks.
On the season, he holds a 5.68 ERA and 1.37 WHIP across 17 starts for both clubs.
Taillon will be up opposite Royals starter Daniel Lynch IV, who moved from the bullpen into the rotation in August. In 51 appearances, Lynch IV carries a 3.06 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 61.2 innings. He has not pitched more than 4.1 innings in any game this season.
The Royals have surged over the past month, including a nine-game winning streak that was snapped by the Jays amid a stretch of 12 victories in 13 games. However, Kansas City dropped its first series since Aug. 12 earlier this week, losing two of three against the Miami Marlins.
Toronto, meanwhile, took two of three in its most recent series against the Guardians to move within a half-game of a wild-card spot. With Cleveland playing a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers Friday, the Blue Jays could find themselves in a playoff position.
Long lacking firepower this season, the Blue Jays finally found some offence in Cleveland, scoring 17 runs over the final two games of the series, aided by a three-run homer from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in Wednesday's 11-0 rout.
They'll look to keep that rolling in the notoriously pitcher-friendly Kauffman Stadium.
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