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Phillies-Blue Jays Preview

Jul 28, 2015 - 1:32 PM Running out of opportunities to make a move in the AL East race, the Toronto Blue Jays made a big trade overnight by acquiring five-time All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

Following another costly loss, the Jays try to get back on track Tuesday night when they open a two-game home series with the last-place Philadelphia Phillies, who nevertheless have surged over the past two weeks.

Toronto (50-50) shipped Jose Reyes to Colorado for the talented but oft-injured Tulowitzki, who is hitting .300 with 12 homers and 53 RBIs this season, and reliever LaTroy Hawkins. Tulowitzki is under contract through 2020 - he's making $20 million in 2015 and each of the next four seasons before being owed $14 million in the final year - while Reyes is owed approximately $52 million through 2017.

The Blue Jays continued their up-and-down play Sunday by blowing a 5-3 lead and losing 6-5 in 10 innings at Seattle, the lowlight being a triple play caused by a baserunning blunder. The Jays have gone 9-14 in their last 23.

First-place New York, meanwhile, has baseball's best record in July and its largest lead of the season.

''We've got to go out there and play every day,'' left-hander Mark Buehrle said. ''The Yankees, they're not giving up. We've got to obviously just play our game and hopefully win games when they start losing games. I don't think they're going to go on the roll that they are right now, but it could get to the point where it's too late. We've got to keep our heads up and keep on playing. We ran into some good teams and some good pitching. Just the way it goes.''

The Blue Jays have allowed 17 runs in the past three games, with the bullpen giving up three in 3 2-3 innings Sunday. Toronto's 4.07 ERA is near the bottom of the AL.

The club should very happy to be starting a 10-game homestand given its 28-19 record at Rogers Centre. The Jays' struggles on the road have been one of the major factors in their inability to keep up in the race.

''It's disappointing,'' manager John Gibbons said after his team finished 3-3 on its West Coast trip. ''We're not in a position to do this. Time's not on our side. We're chasing some pretty good teams. Frustrating, tough game.''

Felix Doubront's last two starts probably won't encourage much optimism from Gibbons on Tuesday. The left-hander has given up seven earned runs over 9 2-3 innings of those games, both on the road.

Doubront (1-0, 4.34 ERA) threw 92 pitches in just 4 2-3 innings Wednesday, allowing two earned runs, seven hits and two walks in a 4-3 loss to Oakland. He's never faced Philadelphia.

He'll likely need be better against the Phillies (37-63), who despite their MLB-worst record have won eight of nine since the All-Star break and scored five or more runs in six of the last seven. They completed an impressive road sweep of the Cubs in emphatic fashion Sunday, winning 11-5 the day after Cole Hamels delivered a no-hitter.

Ryan Howard homered for the second straight day, Maikel Franco also went deep and had three RBIs and Domonic Brown drove in three for Philadelphia, which piled up 17 hits.

Twenty-one of the club's 40 hits in the three-game series went for extra bases.

" ... The reason you play the young guys ... You kind of hope it comes around in this manner to where you're putting some runs on the board and consistent at-bats," interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "And we're getting more consistent at-bats from these guys, and I think that's why we're scoring more runs."

Rookie left-hander Adam Morgan (1-2, 4.28) is set to make his sixth start for the Phillies after lasting 4 1-3 innings and giving up three runs and nine hits in a 5-4 home victory over Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Trade rumors continue to swirl around Philadelphia, which could move Hamels, closer Jonathan Papelbon and others before Friday's deadline.

Toronto has won eight straight meetings in this series.