GDB 160.0: Blue Jays host Rays in final series of the regular season

October baseball is right around the corner.

The Blue Jays will play their final series of the regular season this weekend when they host the Tampa Bay Rays for three games.

Toronto’s magic number heading into Friday’s action is two, so they can clinch if they win tonight and they get help on the out-of-town scoreboard. A Seattle Mariners loss to the Texas Rangers coupled with a Blue Jays win against the Rays would punch their ticket.

Simply winning two games this weekend would do so as well, but the hope for the Blue Jays is getting the job done before Sunday, so they don’t have to start Kevin Gausman in a win-or-go-home situation in Game 162. Taking care of business in the first two games of this series would make life a lot easier for the Blue Jays.

Starting for the Blue Jays will be Yusei Kikuchi while the Rays will go with trade deadline acquisition Aaron Civale.

Kikuchi allowed three earned runs in four innings against the Rays in Tampa last weekend and hasn’t gone further than five innings in a start in September. Civale started off his time with the Rays well but has fallen off lately. He was tagged for six earned runs over three innings against the L.A. Angels in his last outing and he hasn’t cleared six innings in a start since mid-August.

First pitch: 7:07 p.m EST — Sportsnet, Sportsnet 650.

Toronto Blue Jays: 88-71, 12.0 GB, +1.0 WCGB, +74 DIFF.

Tampa Bay Rays: 97-62, 3.0 GB, +10.0 WCGB, +196 DIFF.

Moneyline: TOR -125, TBR +115.

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

TOR: LHP Yusei Kikuchi — 10-6, 3.82 ERA, 31 GS, 162 2/3 IP, 177 SO, 1.266 WHIP.

TBR: RHP Aaron Civale — 7-4, 3.34 ERA, 22 GS, 120 2/3 IP, 113 SO, 1.144 WHIP.

TOR: George Springer RF, Brandon Belt DH, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B, Bo Bichette SS, Cavan Biggio 2B, Alejandro Kirk C, Kevin Kiermaier CF, Matt Chapman 3B, Daulton Varsho LF.

TBR: Yandy Diaz DH, Harold Ramirez RF, Curtis Mead 2B, Randy Arozarena LF, Isaac Parades 1B, Junior Caminero SS, Manuel Margot CF, Osleivis Basabe 3B, Rene Pinto C.