A pivotal week for the Blue Jays begins with David Price making his Toronto debut this afternoon against the Minnesota Twins.

The Jays begin the four game series just one game back of Minnesota for the second wildcard spot, with big hopes of also gaining some ground on the first place Yankees, who the Jays will face on the weekend.

Price is 7-0 with a 3.86 ERA in nine career starts at Rogers Centre.

Meanwhile both benches and bullpens emptied in the Jays finale with the Kansas City Royals yesterday afternoon.

It happened after Toronto reliever Aaron Sanchez was ejected for throwing at Kansas City’s Alcides Escobar in the eighth. It was the climax of a game-long spat that started in the first inning when Royals pitcher Edinson Volquez hit the Blue Jays’ Josh Donaldson.

The Jays won the game 5-2.