Boston @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 30, 2014 ) Toronto 6, Boston 1

The Boston Red Sox have been just the thing that opposing teams have needed when battling for postseason spots. The Toronto Blue Jays will try to become the latest team to take advantage of the struggling Red Sox when they host Boston in the opener of a three-game series on Monday. The Blue Jays are only 6-14 in August and have slipped 5 1/2 games behind the Seattle Mariners in the race for the second American League wild card spot.

The Red Sox did Toronto no favors in that regard over the weekend, when they blew leads in three straight games while being swept by the Mariners. Boston has dropped eight in a row overall and only managed more than three runs once in that span - an 8-6 loss to Seattle on Sunday. The Blue Jays dropped two of three over the weekend against Tampa Bay and are in the midst of a team-wide offensive slump that includes All-Star Jose Bautista going 0-for-10 without a walk over the weekend.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Clay Buchholz (5-8, 5.94 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (8-8, 4.39)

Buchholz is winless in six straight starts and was knocked around for six runs on seven hits in six innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. That marked the fifth time in seven starts since the All-Star break that the Texas native was reached for at least four earned runs. Two of those poor starts came against the Blue Jays last month, including a July 28 outing in which Buchholz was lit up for seven runs in five innings.

Happ is riding a three-start losing streak and lasted only 3 1/3 innings at Milwaukee on Tuesday, when he surrendered four runs on six hits and two walks. The 31-year-old did not yield a home run in that start after allowing five blasts in the previous four turns. Happ was strong against Boston on July 22, scattering seven hits over six scoreless innings to earn a win.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox DH David Ortiz (foot contusion) was removed from Sunday’s game and is day-to-day.

2. Bautista has failed to reach base in three straight games for the first time since Apr. 9-11, 2012.

3. Boston SS Xander Bogaerts was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list and INF Carlos Rivero will be brought up from Triple-A Pawtucket to take his spot.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 3