Chicago @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 17, 2014 ) Toronto 5, Chi. White Sox 7

Jose Bautista continues battling a sore right shoulder, but Edwin Encarnacion is heating up to help keep the Toronto Blue Jays within striking distance in the American League East. Encarnacion has blasted eight homers in May and leads the Blue Jays into Monday’s home contest with the Chicago White Sox hitting .282 with 22 RBIs this month.

Toronto, which beat Seattle 8-2 on Sunday thanks in part to Encarnacion’s 12th homer, has lost seven of its past 10 and sits in last place in the AL East, but is only 4 1/2 games out of first. The White Sox also are fighting to stay in the hunt in the AL Central, sitting eight games behind first-place Kansas City after Sunday’s 8-1 loss to Minnesota. Designated hitter Jose Abreu has hit safely in 18 of his past 19 games and homered Sunday. Fast starts are critical for Chicago - the White Sox are 9-0 when leading after six innings but 4-18 when trailing after six.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, SportsNet-1 (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Hector Noesi (0-3, 5.60 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchison (3-1, 6.06)

Noesi’s role has yo-yoed from starter to reliever through the season’s first two months, and he returns to the rotation for the first time since taking a line drive off his hip May 9 in Cincinnati. Noesi has thrown just 13 pitches since departing that start after 1 2/3 innings, giving up two hits in a scoreless inning of relief Thursday against Cleveland. Noesi has a 6.06 ERA in three starts, giving up four homers in 16 1/3 innings.

Hutchison suffered his first defeat of 2015 Wednesday against the Angels, giving up four runs on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He has benefited from ample run support, the Blue Jays averaging 7.06 runs in his nine starts, including outputs of 10 and 11 runs in games where Hutchison allowed seven and six runs, respectively. Hutchison gave up seven runs on eight hits in seven innings in his lone career appearance against Chicago in 2014.

WALK-OFFS

1. Bautista, limited to DH duty since hurting his shoulder April 21, did not play Sunday after taking a cortisone shot.

2. The White Sox are 7-12 on the road as they begin an 11-game trip, their longest of the season.

3. Encarnacion’s homer Sunday was his 46th in May since 2010, tops in the majors.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, White Sox 2