Toronto @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2012 ) Toronto 3, Detroit 5

The Detroit Tigers were willing to mortgage a key piece of their future when they traded top pitching prospect Jacob Turner to Miami in a deal that netted right-hander Anibal Sanchez. The move has yet to prove fruitful for the Tigers as Sanchez has been hit hard in three of his four starts. Detroit is two games back of the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox, so Sanchez will try to rebound when he faces the Toronto Blue Jays for the third time this season.

With injuries having ravaged its lineup, Toronto has lost six of seven and been held to three runs or fewer in 11 of its last 14 games. The Blue Jays are also taking their lumps on the rehabilitation trail. Third baseman Brett Lawrie has been shut down through at least Monday, and Jose Bautista and Adam Lind saw their scheduled rehab games wiped out by rain Tuesday at Class A Dunedin. Edwin Encarnacion continues to thrive, swatting his 32nd homer Tuesday.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Rogers Sportsnet (Toronto), FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Aaron Laffey (3-4, 4.70 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (1-3, 7.97)

Laffey has been punished by his inability to keep the ball from leaving the yard. He allowed only four hits last time out against the Chicago White Sox, but three of them went for home runs in a 7-2 loss. A loser of two straight starts, Laffey has surrendered eight homers in his last five outings. He is 0-2 in eight appearances (four starts) against Detroit, which has a collective .308 batting average against him.

The transition to the American League has not been pretty for Sanchez, who is pitching to an ERA that is double the 3.94 that he compiled in 19 starts with the Marlins. Sanchez will be pitching on eight days' rest after having his last turn pushed back. He was pounded for five runs and a season-high 12 hits last time out against Minnesota. He's been tagged for 11 runs in 9 1/3 innings by the Blue Jays.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers CF Austin Jackson had three hits Tuesday and is batting .400 lifetime (28-for-70) against Toronto.

2. Blue Jays LHP Ricky Romero became the first pitcher in more than four years to walk eight batters without recording a strikeout.

3. Detroit 3B Miguel Cabrera drove in his major league-leading 105th run, matching his total from a year ago.