Series preview: Tampa Bay Rays at Blue Jays

Rogers Centre, Toronto Aug. 8-10 Monday, 7 p.m. RH Jake Odorizzi (6-5, 3.70) vs. RH R.A. Dickey (8-12, 4.49) Tuesday, 7 p.m. LH Drew Smyly (3-11, 5.14) vs. RH Marco Estrada (7-4, 2.92) Wednesday, 7 p.m. LH Blake Snell (3-4, 2.95) vs. LH J.A. Happ (15-3, 3.09) All games on Sportsnet and SN590

Key players Brad Miller, Tampa Bay: The 26-yearold shortstop arrives in Toronto swinging the hottest bat in the Rays’ lineup. He has 20 home runs on the season and five in his last eight games. Miller struggles to reach base at a steady clip, but he leads the team with five triples and trails only Evan Longoria for the team lead in hits, home runs and RBIs. Devon Travis, Toronto: The Blue Jays’ sophomore second baseman, who has begun to solidify himself in the leadoff spot, has been the team’s best hitter of late. He’s batting .350 over the last month, while also hitting five homers.

Need to know: Tampa may be last in the division and second-last in the American League, but they have won six of 10 games against the Jays this season, including a three-game sweep in mid-May . . . Rays rookie left-hander Blake Snell has been one of the only bright spots in their underachieving rotation. The 23-yearold has struggled to go deep into games, but he has struck out almost a quarter of the batters he has faced . . . Despite the Rays’ struggles this season, their closer Alex Colome is third in the AL with 27 saves . . . Tampa has hit more than its share of homers this season, but they have the league’s lowest batting average and second-lowest on-base percentage . . . The Rays placed outfielder Desmond Jennings on the 15-day DL Saturday with a bruised left knee. On deck: vs. Houston, Friday to Sunday. Brendan Kennedy