New York @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 26, 2014 ) NY Yankees 6, Toronto 10

Masahiro Tanaka makes his New York Yankees debut as they visit Toronto on Friday in the first of three games with the Blue Jays. Tanaka went 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA last year with Tohoku Rakuten of Japan's Pacific League before being signed by the Yankees to a seven-year, $155 million contract in January. Tanaka will not have the pressure of helping to deliver the team's first win of the season, as New York managed to take the finale of a sluggish three-game set in Houston on Thursday.

Toronto will be playing its home opener after splitting a four-game series in Tampa Bay to start the season. It managed just five hits in a 7-2 setback in the finale on Thursday, finishing the four games with a total of 11 runs. New York won the season series 14-5 last year.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, MLB Network, YES (New York), Sportsnet (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Masahiro Tanaka (2013: NR) vs. Blue Jays RH Dustin McGowan (2013: 0-0, 2.45)

Tanaka displayed some solid stuff during spring training by striking out 26 batters against only three walks in 21 innings while posting a 2.14 ERA. The 25-year-old had 99 wins in Japan and won his last 28 decisions since a loss on Aug. 19, 2012. Tanaka will be the seventh player born in Japan to appear in a game for the Yankees and the 13th in the majors to make his major-league debut as a starter.

McGowan won a rotation spot this spring after appearing in 25 games out of the Blue Jays bullpen in 2013. The righty, who has missed three full seasons due to various injuries and surgeries, will be making his first start since 2011. McGowan threw one scoreless inning in relief against the Yankees last year and is 2-2 with a 5.47 ERA in 13 career games (eight starts) versus New York.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees 2B Brian Roberts is 6-for-13 with a home run, a double and four walks in his career against McGowan.

2. Blue Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion is 1-for-12 with four strikeouts on the season.

3. New York leads the series 36-19 over the last three seasons.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Blue Jays 4