Toronto @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2016 ) Boston 11, Toronto 8

The American League East was decided earlier in the week, but there will be plenty on the line when the Toronto Blue Jays begin a season-ending three-game series at the Boston Red Sox on Friday. The Blue Jays enter the set tied with the Baltimore Orioles atop the wild-card standings, 1 1/2 games up on Detroit, while the division champion Red Sox are vying for a premium playoff seed.

Boston trails Texas by two games for the best record - and home-field advantage in the postseason - in the AL and it is one-half game up on Central champs Cleveland. The series marks the final one for retiring Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who will be celebrated with pregame events before all three contests and is expected to play the entire series. Boston right-hander Rick Porcello will try to boost his Cy Young Award resume as he aims to become the first Red Sox pitcher to win 23 games since Pedro Martinez in 1999. Marco Estrada, who was chased after a season-low 2 1/3 innings against Boston earlier this month, gets the nod for Toronto.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN2, Sportsnet (Toronto), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (9-9, 3.53 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (22-4, 3.11)

Estrada has rebounded from a rocky stretch to allow one run and five hits in 14 innings over his last two starts. He is allowing 6.74 hits per nine innings, second in the AL to Detroit's Justin Verlander. Dustin Pedroia is 7-for-19 against the 33-year-old Estrada, who is 4-4 with a 4.15 ERA in his career against the Red Sox.

Porcello has tossed at least six innings in 17 straight starts, the longest run for a Red Sox pitcher since Josh Beckett reached 18 straight in 2009. He gave up three runs and tied a season high with nine strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of a win at Tampa Bay on Saturday. Porcello was solid opposite Estrada earlier this month and is 3-0 with a 4.50 ERA in four starts versus Toronto in 2016.

WALK-OFFS

1. Ortiz needs one double to tie Ted Williams (525) for second in franchise history and one extra-base hit to tie Ken Griffey Jr. and Rafael Palmeiro (1,192) for eighth in MLB history.

2. Toronto is 15-9 at Fenway Park since 2014.

3. Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista is 0-for-10 with seven strikeouts over his last three games.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 3