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TORONTO — The New York Yankees evened their series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-justin-bethel-jersey , but the availability of closer Aroldis Chapman for the rubber match Sunday was unknown.

Chapman struck out the first batter of the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday in the Yankees’ 8-5 victory at the Rogers Centre, but then left the mound with a recurrence of left knee tendinitis that he has dealt with for the past two months.

“I don’t think today was anything too extreme from what he’s been dealing with much of the year,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It was more me getting him out of there because of the score.”

He is considered day-to-day.

Chapman entered the game in the ninth with a four-run lead, a non-save situation.

“With a four-run lead, I didn’t want to take any chances with it,” Boone said. “He said he was fine to continue.”

Chasen Shreve replaced the left-hander and finished the game, allowing a home run to Aledmys Diaz.

The teams will go for the series win Sunday afternoon with the Yankees (57-29) sending out right-hander Domingo German (2-4, 5.37 ERA) and the Blue Jays (41-47) will start left-hander Ryan Borucki (0-1, 2.77).

The Yankees also lost center fielder Aaron Hicks to a cramp and hamstring tightness in his left leg in the fifth inning. Toronto reliever Rhiner Cruz left the game with a groin injury in the top of the ninth.

Hicks will be likely given Sunday off. No MRI has been done at this stage, so Boone hoped the day off would be enough.

“He feels like he’s OK,” Boone said.

Clint Frazier, who was called up from Triple-A, took over in left field when Hicks was removed with Brett Gardner moving from left to center.

In a twist to the game, the Yankees scored six runs and had four hits and six walks in 2 2/3 innings against Toronto left-hander J.A. Happ, a pitcher they could be interested in obtaining before the July 31 deadline for trades without waivers.

It was the second poor start in a row for Happ, who gave up seven runs in 5 2/3 innings to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

Happ said the rumors of a trade, possibly to the Yankees, did not influence his start.

“It really doesn’t change. I was ready to pitch. I was excited to pitch, I felt good,” Happ said. “I don’t know. I think you try to flush this one as best you can and it’s going to be a tough couple of days in between, but hopefully you bounce back.

“I don’t think these last two are really indicative of how I’ve pitched the last several years, so you try to flip the script as best as you can and just move forward.

“I’m just focused on playing for the Blue Jays right now. There’s rumors out there. You never know what’s speculation http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-logan-paulsen-jersey , what’s true, and what has any realistic chance. I’m just trying to play and pitch. I’m happy right here and we’ll see what happens.”

German will make his 17th appearance and 11th start of the year for the Yankees. He has faced Toronto twice in his career, both in relief, going 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA.

In German’s only outing against the Blue Jays this season, he allowed two runs, two hits and four walks in 1 2/3 innings.

Borucki will make his third career outing (all starts) when he pitches against the Yankees for the first time. He allowed two runs, six hits and no walks and had eight strikeouts Monday but did not factor in the decision against the Detroit Tigers.

The Yankees are 8-4 against the Blue Jays this season and 5-3 at the Rogers Centre. They last had five wins in Toronto in 2009 when they were 6-3.

The Blue Jays are 4-4 on a homestand that ends Sunday.

The worst-case scenario fear surfaced in Sam Bradford’s mind at midseason, in the aftermath of the 30-year-old quarterback’s latest surgery on his left knee.

This procedure was an arthroscopic cleanup, not another reconstruction, but that didn’t quiet the question about whether he’d be able to resume his career.

”That was a battle I fought for a few weeks,” Bradford said. ”But it seemed like each day where it got better, each week where it felt like I was making true progress and could do a little bit more, those thoughts started to leave my mind. I started to become more confident in how I felt on my knee and what I was able to do.”

Bradford returned to practice with the Minnesota Vikings this week, the earliest he was eligible to do so after being placed on injured reserve on Nov. 8.

The Vikings can put him back on the active roster for the playoffs at any time, with a decision required by Jan. 23 if they advance to the Super Bowl.

Bradford would likely only be the second or third option at that point behind Case Keenum and possibly Teddy Bridgewater, but in this unpredictable sport the potential of him being summoned into duty can’t be dismissed.

”I’ve been working extremely hard to be able to get back out there, and so just to be out there and be able to go through these two practices, it’s been great,” Bradford said on Wednesday, his first mass interview in three months. ”I think we’re still just taking it one day at a time.”

Bradford, who tore his ACL in 2013 and 2014 when he was with the St. Louis Rams, performed brilliantly in the season-opening win over the New Orleans Saints http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-brandon-parker-jersey , during which he aggravated the knee.

Keenum started the next three games, until Bradford had made sufficient enough progress to be cleared to start at Chicago on Oct. 9. He hobbled around in the first half against the Bears that night, though. He took four sacks and produced only three points before giving way to Keenum again late in the second quarter, this time for good.

Vikings head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman described the injury as natural wear and tear, but Bradford tried a variety of treatments to try to strengthen the joint without success before ultimately opting for the surgery.

Finally, he said, the knee is feeling as good as it has since training camp.

”I don’t know what the future holds. I don’t know how it’s going to hold up. But I didn’t know how it was going to hold up after the previous two operations,” Bradford said.

”I don’t think anyone knows how their body is going to hold up. All you can do is try to get it as strong as possible.”

Bradford kept up a behind-the-scenes presence with the Vikings throughout his rehabilitation, assisting Keenum with the game-planning and attempting to remain engaged with the team during its run to a 13-3 regular season record and a first-round bye for the playoffs.

”I know it’s been a hard year for him battling that knee, so it’s good to see him out there feeling good,” tight end Kyle Rudolph said.

The what-could-have-been feelings were inevitable for Bradford, given the team’s success without him, but calling it career before all options were exhausted was not entertained even with career earnings well over $100 million.

”You realize how special it is to be on the field with your teammates, being able to compete out there in the National Football League,” Bradford said.

”That’s one of the greatest honors there is. I think once you have a taste of that feeling, it’s really hard to let it go. I think for everyone, it’s what drives you to come back.”

Rudolph, for his part, pushed through a sprained right ankle over the past three games.

”I can’t tell you what Plan B would’ve been had we had to play a game this week. I just would’ve been out there and been a terrible football player like I have been for the last three weeks,” Rudolph said. ”Getting to this week off is big for me.”

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