GameDay Preview: Rays, Jays Tangle Twice on Tuesday in Important Doubleheader

Still separated by just a half-game, the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays are set to do battle twice on Tuesday in a day/night doubleheader. The Rays, who have lost three games in a row, turn to lefty starter Jeffrey Springs in the opener. Here's now to watch, with starting lineups, pitching bios and the usual news on injuries and roster moves.

TORONTO — Wander Franco is back in the lineup on Tuesday afternoon as the Tampa Bay Rays get ready to tangle twice with the Toronto Blue Jays. It's a day/night doubleheader as the two teams try to make up games lost during the first week of the season before the lockout was settled.

Franco, who came off the injured list on Friday, had three hits that night in the Rays' win over the New York Yankees. He played again Saturday and started Sunday's game but was removed in the rout by the Yankees. He also did not start Monday's game in Toronto, but did he did pinch-hit in the eighth inning, and grounded out.

There are two games on Tuesday as part of this five-game, four-day series. The first one is at 1:07 p.m. ET and the second is at 7:07 p.m.

Toronto won the first game Monday night thanks to Bo Bichette's two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning off of stellar Tampa Bay releiver Jason Adam. Single games are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Here's how to watch Tuesday's game, with TV details and starting lineups:

How to watch Rays at Blue Jays

• Who: Tampa Bay Rays (78-61) at Toronto Blue Jays (79-61)
• When: 1:07 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Sept. 13 (Second game at 7:07 p.m. ET)
• Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• TV: Bally Sports Sun
• Announcers: Dewayne Staats (play-by-play), Brian Anderson (color commentary) and Tricia Whitaker (reporter).
• Stream: Fubo.tv CLICK HERE
• Radio: WDAE 95.3 FM; SiriusXM Channel 176 (Blue Jays broadcast)
• Announcers: Andy Freed and Dave Wills.
• Latest Line: Toronto is favored in the first game at minus-126 on the money line according to the Fanduel.com website line as of Tuesday morning. The Rays are at plus-108. The over/under is 8.

Projected starting lineups (Game 1)

• Tampa Bay Rays: Yandy Diaz 3B, Wander Franco SS, Jonathan Aranda 1B, Randy Arozarena DH, David Peralta LF, Manuel Margot RF, Christian Bethancourt C, Taylor Walls 2B, Jose Siri CF, Jeffrey Springs P.
• Toronto Blue Jays: George Springer CF, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 1B, Bo Bichette SS, Alejandro Kirk DH, Teoscar Hernandez RF, Matt Chapman 3B, Danny Jansen C, Santiago Espinal 2B, Whit Merrifield RF, Julian Merryweather P. 

Projected pitchers (Game 1)

• Tampa Bay Rays: Jeffrey Springs gets the call for the first game of the doubleheader. He's been very good for the Rays this year, posting a 7-4 record with a tidy 2.54 earned run average. He spent April in the bullpen but has thrived in the starting rotation ever since. He has faced Toronto just once this season, pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings and allowing just four hits in a 3-0 victory on May 15 in St. Petersburg. 
• Toronto Blue Jays: Julian Merryweather is starting the day game for Toronto, a switch from Alek Manoah, who will now start Tuesday night. Merryweather, a 30-year-old right-hander from Berkeley, Calif., has appeared in 23 games so far this season for Toronto, all in relief. He has an 0-2 record with a 5.48 ERA. He hasn't pitched more than two innings in any outing, and hasn't faced the Rays all year.

Newsy nuggets

• CRISWELL SENT BACK DOWN: Cooper Criswell did his job Monday night, retiring the first nine batters he faced before giving up a run in the fourth inning of his emergency start. As expected, the Rays sent him back down to Durham on Tuesday to make room for some more fresh arms. He was a great short-term addition, going 3 1/3 innings when the Rays really needed him.
• CHIRINOS ADDED FOR DOUBLEHEADER: The Rays are able to add a 29th man to the roster on Tuesday, and that will be right-hander Yonny Chirinois. He made his season debut on Sept. 7, pitching three scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox and picking up the win in the Rays' 1-0 victory. It's likely that he will see action in the second game on Tuesday night, but after Springs,  the Rays are taking everything a pitch at a time all day and night.
• JOSH FLEMING RETURNS TO RAYS: Lefty Josh Fleming has re-joined the Rays off the injured list, and he was activated on Tuesday after Criswell was sent down. He has made eight appearances for the Rays, including two starts. He's 2-4 on the season with a 6.84 ERA. 
• RAYS-JAYS SERIES: The Rays lead the season series 6-5, with eight games remaining against each other in the next week and change. It's a race to 10 wins, because the tie-breaker could be very important in the wild-card chase. Toronto has a half-game edge on the Rays heading into the doubleheader.