NEW YORK -- The Toronto Blue Jays streaky offense is one of those funks.However, it has yet to cost Toronto a share of first place in the American League East, but on Monday at Yankee Stadium, it made the division race slightly closer.The Blue Jays look to reverse things at the plate Tuesday night when they continue a three-game series with the New York Yankees.Toronto has split its past 16 games, but on the smaller scale, the Blue Jays have dropped three of four. The offense has scored 16 times in the past four games but has produced one home run, six extra-base hits and a .222 batting average.These guys are what they are, whether you like it or not, Toronto manager John Gibbons said Monday before his teams 5-3 loss to the Yankees. Sometimes youve just got to ride it out and take the good with the bad, because eventually that will change.Jose Bautista hit an RBI single Monday, and Edwin Encarnacion had a two-run single. Bautista has three hits in last 17 at-bats, while Encarnacion had three hits in his previous 24 at-bats before going 3-for-4 on Monday. Josh Donaldson has three hits in his past 13 at-bats.Two players who are not slumping, Russell Martin and Troy Tulowitzki, figure to be back in the lineup Tuesday. Martin did not start since knuckleballer R.A. Dickey pitched, while Tulowitzki sat because Gibbons said he needed a day off.We understand this game, we have a lot of time in this game, we have to keep going and dont worry about what is in the past, Encarnacion said. Weve got to focus on tomorrows game and the next three weeks.Coincidentally, a similar situation preceded Toronto scoring 19 times during a three-game series in its last visit to New York, Aug. 15-17. The Blue Jays offense was shut out in the opener, then produced an eight-run inning en route to a 12-6 win in the second game. Toronto posted a 7-4 victory in the series finale.Since that series, the Blue Jays have always held at least a share of first place, but the fourth-place Yankees are currently only 5 1/2 games back. The Boston Red Sox are a game out, while the Baltimore Orioles are two back.The Yankees are 3 1/2 games behind Baltimore and Detroit in a six-team race for the second wild-card spot. They have won seven of their past nine series, but winning two of three each time still might not be good enough.Its almost imperative, New York left fielder Brett Gardner said. At this point, we have to win every series the rest of the way. Weve got to play well, and two out of three is the worst-case scenario for us.New York won for the eighth time in 12 games Sunday. Jacoby Ellsbury homered and drove in three runs in a game that featured contributions from a few young players.Rookie first baseman Tyler Austin had a two-run double that wound up being the decisive hit, while first-year catcher Gary Sanchez reached base for the 20th straight game and also threw out Melvin Upton Jr. trying to steal second.Aaron Judge made two good defensive plays in right field but struck out three times. Although he homered in his first two games Aug. 13-14, he has not done much since and has 35 strikeouts to go along with a .169 average.Even with the low numbers, Judge likely will remain in right field due to an injury to Aaron Hicks.We got to help him fight through it, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Judges slump. We know he has the ability, and we believe he can do it.Aaron Sanchez (13-2, 2.88 ERA) will make his second start following a 10-day break in the minors. Sanchez is second on Torontos pitching staff in wins, and his ERA is the lowest among Blue Jays starters.Sanchez had a 5.29 ERA in three starts before the layoff but returned Wednesday in Baltimore and allowed an unearned run and five hits in six innings.Sanchez was sharp in the 12 2/3 innings he pitched against the Yankees this season. He allowed an earned run and three hits in six innings during a no-decision April 12 in Toronto, and June 1 at Rogers Centre, he struck out six and allowed seven hits in 6 2/3 innings during a 7-0 victory.Luis Cessa (4-0, 4.17 ERA) makes his fourth start since entering New Yorks rotation. As a starting pitcher, Cessa is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA.Cessa has pitched six innings in each start, although he has allowed four of his nine home runs as a starting pitcher. The right-hander allowed two homers Wednesday in Kansas City but did not get a decision when New York rallied from a four-run deficit.In his lone career appearance against Toronto, he pitched a scoreless inning on May 24.San Diego Padres Shirts .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. San Diego Padres Gear . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. https://www.cheappadresjerseys.us/ . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. San Diego Padres Store . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. Padres Jerseys 2020 .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week.Catalans Dragons will be without Paul Aiton for the next six weeks.Scans have revealed the hooker tore a muscle in his chest while making his debut during the Dragons Super League opener at Wigan on Friday.The visitors were beaten 12-6 at the DW Stadium and this week host Hull on Saturday, live on Sky Sports. Eloi Pelissier and Gregory Mounis are candidates to deputise for Aiton, whoo signed a three-year deal after leaving Leeds.ddddddddddddWatch Catalans Dragons in Super League action at home to Hull FC on Saturday, with coverage underway on Sky Sports 3 HD from 4.55pm.Also See:RL on SkyRL fixtures/resultsFollow @SkySportsRLPundits ' ' '