(Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

Last summer, the Toronto Blue Jays outplayed the New York Yankees and won the American League East via the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Toronto's success in those games culminated in manager John Schneider going viral for starting the raucous celebration following the elimination of the Yankees in Game 4 of the American League Division Series last October by saying 'start spreading the news.' That's the opening verse of 'Theme from New York, New York,' the song the Yankees play after home wins.

Both teams have some work to do to attain the top spot in the AL East, and the rivals convene for the first time this season when Toronto visits the Yankees for the opener of a four-game series on Monday night.

'They're playing really well,' Schneider said about the Yankees after Toronto's 4-1 win in Detroit on Sunday. 'They're having a good season. They're a good team. I feel like we bring the best out of each other a little bit. Guys like playing there and it should be an eventful series.'

The Blue Jays and Yankees each won 94 games last season, but Toronto won eight of the 13 meetings between the clubs. The Blue Jays won six of seven meetings at home June 30-July 3 and July 21-23 when they went ahead for good after trailing the Yankees by eight games.

Toronto has not been above .500 this season since April 3 and enters the series with eight losses in its past 13 games. The Blue Jays are 9 1/2 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East and are attempting to win three straight for the third time this season.

On Sunday, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered and recorded his third multi-hit game since April 29 when he was hitting .358. He did so while batting second as George Springer got the day off on Sunday.

Daulton Varsho hit an RBI triple and is 17-for-55 (.309) in his past 15 games, a stretch that includes a game-ending grand slam against Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

The Yankees are playing seven straight games against Toronto and Tampa Bay and are three games out of first place. New York won 16 of 19 from April 17-May 7 but is coming off a 2-7 road trip against the Milwaukee Brewers, Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets.

New York absorbed three walk-off losses and was one out away from claiming a series against the Mets until David Bednar allowed a tying three-run homer to Tyrone Taylor. The Yankees took the 7-6 loss in the 10th when Max Schuemann collided with Anthony Volpe attempting to a field a bouncer against a five-man infield.

Before the collapse, Volpe hit a two-run single and drove in three runs, and Ben Rice homered. The Yankees were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and 4-for-25 in the past two games.

'The boys are playing hard though,' New York slugger Aaron Judge said. 'That's, I think, the biggest thing is guys are playing tough and making the plays they need to, but just coming up a little bit short'

The Yankees will attempt to put up big numbers against Blue Jays left-hander Patrick Corbin (1-1, 3.93 ERA), who allowed season highs of three runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings during a no-decision on Tuesday against the visiting Rays.

Corbin is 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA in seven career starts against the Yankees.

New York counters with Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.00), who is making his second start since an illness pushed back his turn. Weathers showed little difficulties after the illness Monday when he took a no-hitter into the seventh and wound up with a no-decision in a 3-2 loss at Baltimore.

Weathers earned the win in his lone start against Toronto when, pitching for the Miami Marlins, the left-hander allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings on Sept. 29, 2024.

--Field Level Media