BOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday to open a three-game series. Pittsburgh has gone 34-29 at home and 52-73 overall. Pirates pitchers have a collective 4.04 ERA, which ranks eighth in the NL.

The Blue Jays have activated George Springer from the seven-day concussion injured list, adding him back to the lineup after he missed 16 games since getting hit in the head by a pitch.

Athlon Sports. The Toronto Blue Jays have the best record in the American League entering Thursday’s slate of games, owning a 70–51 record and a 4.5-game lead in the division over the Boston Red Sox.

TORONTO — The tying run stood on deck in Sunday’s eighth inning as the Toronto Blue Jays threatened yet another comeback. Toronto’s history of late-game heroics gave fans hope — even down four runs, they slid forward in their seats. This time, though, Alejandro Kirk’s lazy foul fly found a Texas Rangers glove and hope finally faded away.

Myles Straw had five RBIs in his first career multihomer game, and the Toronto Blue Jays hammered the struggling Texas Rangers 14-2