MLB Game Preview - Toronto at Philadelphia

Sun Sep 20, 2020 3:05 PM EDT

The Philadelphia Phillies will be aiming for a four-game series sweep when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.

After winning both ends of a doubleheader on Friday, the Phillies pulled out a 3-1 victory on Saturday to improve to 27-25.

Andrew Knapp and Adam Haseley, the Phillies' eighth and ninth hitters on Saturday, each came through with two hits and an RBI.

Bryce Harper went 1-for-4 and has carried the team for stretches over the last 11 games, going 13-for-39 with five doubles, four home runs and seven RBIs.

With only eight regular-season games remaining, the Phillies' mantra is to simply win and not be concerned about how all the other teams are faring.

"We've got to keep playing our game and not really worry about where we fall," Harper said. "Get there. Once we get there, we'll hopefully take care of what we need to and have some fun."

Before this series began, the Phillies were under .500 at 24-25. How quickly things can change.

"This whole city fights every day," Harper said. "We try to do that on the baseball field."

The Phillies' starting pitching is thin without Jake Arrieta and Spencer Howard. Manager Joe Girardi is likely going to turn to rookie 23-year-old Adonis Medina.

"I can't tell you 100 percent that's gonna happen, but that's the guy lined up," Girardi said.

If Medina starts, he would be the 10th Phillies player to make his major league debut this season. Medina last pitched at Double-A Reading.

The Blue Jays (26-26) were once 26-20 and in solid playoff position. Now they've lost six straight.

But manager Charlie Montoyo continues to remain optimistic with his young team.

"We have gone through a lot this year," Montoyo said. "It's going to be a positive message. One of the main reasons we are here is because the pitching has been great. Now, the last (six games), we have allowed runs. But we have to regroup. The pitching is better than that, so you know it's going to get better."

Hyun Jin Ryu tossed six effective innings on Saturday, allowing six hits and two runs with eight strikeouts and one walk. Yet the Blue Jays couldn't produce much offense, with the exception of a solo home run by Travis Shaw.

The Blue Jays will turn to Taijuan Walker to try and snap the losing streak.

Walker, who has never faced the Phillies, is 3-3 with a 3.05 ERA in nine starts this season.

Cavan Biggio walked twice Saturday, although he went 0-for-2 and his average dipped to .247. Biggio has played multiple positions in the field all season and hasn't carried any offensive slumps into the field.

"Biggio, he knew about two weeks ago and I told him, 'You're going to play everywhere,'" Montoyo said.

The Blue Jays received some positive news that closer Rafael Dolis will be able to avoid the injury list. Dolis left Friday's game with some right knee soreness, but he's day-to-day and likely available for the series finale.

--Field Level Media