Toronto FC coach Robin Fraser figures to be doing some roster juggling for the team's most important game of the season.
Three of the team's starting defenders — Richie Laryea, Benjamin Kuscevic and Walker Zimmerman — are not expected to be available for Saturday's road fixture against New York Red Bulls.
Laryea, a Canadian international, and Kuscevic are down because of yellow-card accumulation. Zimmerman is expected to miss a third game in a row because of an ankle injury.
"It's not easy, that's for sure," Fraser told reporters on Thursday. "But it's why we have a team and why we have guys who have played minutes and significantly good minutes for us."
After playing to a 3-3 draw with visiting Orlando City on Wednesday, TFC is tied for 10th in the MLS Eastern Conference, three points back of the Michael Bradley-coached Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati for the conference's final two playoff spots.
That makes Saturday's game against New York a critical game for TFC.
Both teams have five games left, while Cincinnati has a game in hand. Four of Toronto's final five games are on the road.
TFC is trying to reach the MLS playoffs for the first time since 2020.
