Friday’s are always a great day during the week and when you’ve got an incoming three-game set against an AL East rival, it makes it even sweeter. Couple that with a long weekend and now we’re really cooking.

The Jays kick off a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox Friday night in what will be a critical juncture for Toronto. Despite dropping three of four to the Baltimore Orioles, they find themselves resting in the third wild card spot with the Red Sox, amongst others, nipping at their heels.

Boston -167; Toronto +125

Toronto 2-1: +200
Toronto 3-0: +900
Boston 2-1: +120
Boston 3-0: +380

*Odds at the time of publishing. Odds subject to change.

Friday: Alek Manoah
Saturday: Jose Berrios
Sunday: Chris Bassitt

Friday: James Paxton
Saturday: TBA
Sunday: TBA

Gimme the Jays to win the series at +125. As I mentioned, this is a critical juncture in the season for them. Boston is just two games back of the Jays for the wild card spot and this weekend could prove critical. Going against them, however, is the fact they’ve dropped all seven games to the Red Sox so far this season.

We’re going to take the correct series score to be 2-1 in favour of Toronto at +200. There’s a chance one of the TBA’s for the Red Sox could be a bullpen day, and the other is likely to be Nick Pivetta. Can they change their fate this weekend?

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.