Toronto @ Tampa Bay Game Overview

Having won four straight games, the American League East-leading Blue Jays (87-62) do not have the luxury of putting it on cruise control and riding out their final 13 regular-season games, despite owning the junior circuit's best mark and being red-hot the second half of 2025.

In an intriguing development, Toronto will send out its top prospect, pitcher Trey Yesavage, in his debut.

Manager John Schneider said the move is closer to one of necessity rather than just a late-season dalliance to see what the Canadian club might have for next year.

"This isn't an open tryout," said Schneider. "This is a very, very deliberate decision that we think he can help us. I don't want to experiment too much, and I don't want to ruffle any feathers more than we already have."

To say the 2024 first-round pick (No. 20 overall) has had a meteoric rise this season is a gigantic understatement.

In stops at Class-A Dunedin, High-A Vancouver, Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo, the former East Carolina right-hander went 5-1 with a 3.12 ERA in 25 outings, 22 of them starts.

Despite firing only 98 innings overall, the 22-year-old Yesavage whiffed 160 and allowed just 54 hits and 41 walks, opening eyes within the organization and fast-tracking him through the farm system.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Pennsylvania product said he isn't worried about his first big league start.

"There's not much pressure at all. I'm still playing a children's game for a living," Yesavage said.

While the Blue Jays are scorching, the Rays (73-76) have wasted plenty of opportunities to try to return to serious wild-card consideration.

In the Windy City, they dropped two of three to both the AL-worst White Sox and playoff-slotted Cubs, almost decimating any playoff hopes and inching closer to missing the postseason for the second consecutive campaign.

Entering Monday, the Rays sit 7 1/2 games behind the Houston Astros, who descended into the third wild-card spot after being passed by the sizzling Seattle Mariners, who have won nine straight to assume the lead in the AL West.

Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash's club has seen his club fizzle after winning a season-high seven straight and getting within a couple of games of the Mariners.

The Rays have dropped seven of their past nine but are 5-1 against Toronto. However, they haven't faced this version of the Blue Jays: The clubs last squared off in a May 25 affair.

The Rays on Monday recalled right-hander Joe Boyle (1-3, 5.40) from Triple-A Durham to start the first game of the series. Boyle, 26, was demoted in late August after he allowed 16 runs (15 earned) over his previous three starts with the major league club.

Over that short Durham stint, Boyle notched a 2.08 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 13 innings, though he did issue 10 walks in that stretch.

Ryan Pepiot, who was expected to be done for the season due to fatigue and a career high in innings (163), will start Tuesday.

"I think the extra rest and the extra days (helped), spending some time in the training room, getting everything back right," the righty said after a bullpen session. "Everything came out good, stuff was good, so I'm looking forward to getting back out there."

--Field Level Media