Blue Jays to play Texas in Division Series after 12-3 loss to Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Smiling Texan John Gibbons doesn't mind going back home for the first round of the playoffs. His Toronto Blue Jays are feeling good about it, too.

The Blue Jays finished the regular season 93-69 and will face the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series beginning with Game 1 Thursday at Rogers Centre.

"I love the fact that you go to Texas, that's never a bad thing," Gibbons said. "It's been a tremendous year for these guys, it really has. We're glad it's over. The tough part's out of the way of getting in. Now we'll go out there and have some fun and see what happens."

David Price will start Game 1 for the Blue Jays, while Yovani Gallardo is expected to take the mound for the Rangers to begin the best-of-five series. Gallardo went 2-0 against Toronto this season and didn't allow a run.

The Blue Jays had a chance to earn home-field advantage throughout the playoffs but went 1-4 in their final five games after clinching the AL East, including a 12-3 loss Sunday to the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite that, the Blue Jays are healthy and confident going into the post-season.

"Tough last couple days, but we're feeling good right now," Gibbons said. "Really, I guess you can say us and Texas are probably the two hottest teams the last two months. It's probably going to be a pretty good matchup."

The Blue Jays were 50-51 when they acquired shortstop Troy Tulowitzki on July 29 and went 43-18 down the stretch. The Rangers were 48-52 that day and finished 40-22.

Toronto won four of the six games between the teams this season, including two out of three in August.

"It's still somewhat of a good feeling knowing that we actually played pretty well against Texas this year," right fielder Jose Bautista said. "Most of us do pretty well in that ballpark when we play there, too. It's one of those places where we always put up a lot of runs. It's a hitters' park just like ours. That's probably going to help us."

The Kansas City Royals, who led the AL for months, won five straight to end the season and earn home-field advantage. Kansas City will face the winner of the AL wild-card game between the New York Yankees and Houston Astros.

In the National League, the New York Mets will face the Los Angeles Dodgers, while the Central Division-champion St. Louis Cardinals will play the winner of the wild-card game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.

Whoever comes out of the American League will have home-field advantage in the World Series because of the All-Star Game.

"We got it in the first round (and) if we're fortunate enough to get to the World Series, we got it," Gibbons said. "So that's never bad, that's two out of three, and two out of three ain't bad."

While the Blue Jays popped champagne to celebrate their division title Wednesday in Baltimore, Texas needed a victory on Sunday to clinch the AL West. The Rangers' celebration was on clubhouse televisions at Tropicana Field after the Blue Jays' game against the Rays.

Cole Hamels, whom the Rangers acquired at the deadline before the Blue Jays got Price, started the final game of the regular season and would be on regular rest to pitch in Game 2 Friday.

The Blue Jays have not announced a Game 2 starter, though the decision would seem to come down to Marcus Stroman or Marco Estrada.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos said the Blue Jays wouldn't decide based on who'd be better to pitch at home but rather, "Who's our best option to win that game."

Whichever pitcher doesn't get that start will likely go in Game 3 on Sunday, Oct. 11 at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey would figure to start Game 4 Oct. 12, if necessary, with Price lined up for Game 5 on Oct. 14 if it's required.

Left-hander Mark Buehrle, whose attempt to reach 200 innings for the 15th consecutive season ended after he got only two outs Sunday, said he was told he would not be on the post-season roster. He'll remain ready in case of injury.

"I'm going to travel and cheer my rear end off and hopefully bring this thing back to Toronto," Buehrle said.

Price said the Blue Jays just need to keep playing the same baseball they have been over the past two months. Facing a Rangers team that could say the same thing is a challenge.

"All these teams that get to the playoffs are good teams, from when we've played them obviously Gallardo has thrown the ball well against us, Cole Hamels is always tough and they've been rolling since the trade deadline as well, they've been one of the hottest teams in the game," Anthopoulos said. "It will be tough series for us."