Blue Jays-Rays: Series preview

ROGERS CENTRE Tonight, 7:07 p.m. LH Francisco Liriano (7-12, 5.27) vs. RH Jake Odorizzi (9-6, 3.66) Tomorrow, 7:07 p.m. RH Marcus Stroman (9-7, 4.55) vs. LH Drew Smyly (6-11, 5.05) Wednesday, 12:37 p.m. RH Marco Estrada (8-8, 3.68) vs. RH Alex Cobb (0-0, 4.09) All games on Sportsnet and Sportsnet 590 The Fan.

Key players: Brad Miller and Edwin Encarnacion.

Encarnacion had been a bit quiet on the homer front with only one since Aug. 27, but he smashed two Sunday afternoon against the Red Sox. Miller, meanwhile, ranks second on the Rays with 27 homers; Evan Longoria leads with 31. Miller’s 27 homers are 16 more than his best season with the Mariners.

Need to know: The Rays entered Sunday’s action having lost five of its past six but avoided a sweep at the hands of the red-hot New York Yankees with a 4-2 victory. Regardless of where they are in the standings, the Rays continually give the Jays fits — they are the only team in the AL East with a winning record against Toronto (9-6) this season . . . The Rays made a conscious decision to increase homer power this season and, as a result, rank seventh in MLB homers with 194; the Jays are third. They have six players in double figures with homers — Longoria, Miller, Corey Dickerson, Logan Forsythe, Logan Morrison and Steven Souza Jr. … Cobb will make his third start since coming off Tommy John surgery and rehab. He has two no-decisions previously, including a Sept. 2 outing in Toronto.

Up next: Thursday-Sunday, at Los Angeles Angels. Mark Zwolinski