Philadelphia @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 31, 2015 ) Philadelphia 6, Toronto 10

The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly one of a few potential playoff teams interested in dealing for Philadelphia closer Jonathan Papelbon before Friday’s non-waiver trade deadline. With the way the Phillies are playing since the All-Star break, the Blue Jays could get a pair of looks at the reliever starting Tuesday when they host the first of two interleague contests with Philadelphia.

MLB.com reported over the weekend that Toronto, Washington and the Chicago Cubs expressed interest recently in the 34-year-old Papelbon, who is 17-for-17 in save chances and has posted a 1.59 ERA in 37 appearances this season. The Phillies, who lost five straight to end the first half with the worst record in the majors at 29-62, have won eight of nine since the Midsummer Classic and are coming off a road sweep of the Cubs over the weekend. The Blue Jays (50-50), who trail Minnesota by three games in the race for the final American League wild-card spot, have not won or lost more than three in a row since reeling off an 11-game winning streak from June 2-14. Toronto continued to hover around the breakeven mark on Sunday, losing the rubber match of a three-game set in Seattle.
TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Adam Morgan (1-2, 4.28 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Felix Doubront (1-0, 4.34)
Since prevailing in his major-league debut on June 21, Morgan has been unable to win any of his next four turns, including Wednesday’s no-decision versus Tampa Bay in which he yielded three runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 frames. The 25-year-old Alabama product has lost both of his starts away from Philadelphia, permitting two runs across seven innings to Atlanta on July 3 and five runs in four frames to the Los Angeles Dodgers five days later. Morgan will square off with Toronto for the first time in his career.
Although the Blue Jays are only 1-2 since he joined the rotation earlier this month, Doubront remained unbeaten when he did not factor into the decision at Oakland on Wednesday, giving up three runs (two earned) while throwing 92 pitches in 4 2/3 frames. The 27-year-old Venezuelan has only walked three batters in four appearances thus far, but is allowing opponents to bat .329 against him. Doubront, who has never faced the Phillies, will make his first start in Toronto since April 5, 2013, as a member of the Boston Red Sox.

WALK-OFFS
1. Toronto has won the last eight meetings since Roy Halladay led Philadelphia past his former team at Rogers Centre on July 2, 2011.
2. The Phillies have outscored the opposition 48-27 since the All-Star break after posting a league-worst run differential (minus-160) in the first half of the season.
3. Blue Jays 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion is one home run shy of becoming the sixth player in team history to hit at least 20 in a season five different times.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 8, Phillies 5