7 series to keep your eye on this week

The epic Tampa Bay win streak has lastly come to an finish, however there’s nonetheless loads left to concentrate to within the MLB panorama. This coming week options some high-profile matchups, together with two matchups between groups that gained 100-plus video games final season. Here are seven collection to observe throughout the week of April 17:

Brewers at Mariners
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head to move: These two groups haven’t confronted off since June 2019, when the Mariners took two out of three video games in Milwaukee. However, they have been each within the AL from 1977-97, earlier than the 1998 realignment when Arizona and Tampa Bay joined MLB.

Storyline: Is this the Brewers’ 12 months? Milwaukee’s 11-5 file trails solely the Braves (12-4) within the NL, and the Brew Crew’s +28 run differential ranks second within the Majors, behind the Rays (+72). The Brewers have made the playoffs in 4 of the previous 5 seasons, and whereas it’s early, this 12 months’s staff seems to be pretty much as good as any of them.

Phillies at White Sox
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head to move: These two groups haven’t confronted off since August 2019, when the White Sox took two out of three video games in Philadelphia.

Storyline: Will both of those two groups determine it out? Both groups had fairly excessive expectations coming into 2023, notably the Phillies after their run to the World Series a 12 months in the past. But they each enter this collection with 6-10 information. While the expanded playoff makes issues considerably simpler, each groups nonetheless have work to do to show issues round.

Watch out for: Brandon Marsh. The Phillies’ powerful begin has been by way of no fault of Marsh’s, who has damaged out in his third MLB season. The 25-year-old has a line of .378/.440/.756, the final of which leads all gamers with a minimum of 40 plate appearances this season.

Blue Jays at Astros
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head to move: The Blue Jays went 4-2 towards the Astros in 2022, with all 4 wins coming by one run. Toronto took two out of three in every collection (one in Houston, one in Toronto).

Watch out for: Matt Chapman. Chapman has dominated every little thing in sight this season, main all certified hitters with a 1.204 OPS. Via Statcast, his 13 barrels are additionally most within the large leagues.

Braves at Padres
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head to move: These groups have already confronted off this season, because the Padres took three of 4 video games in Atlanta earlier in April. The Padres went 4-3 towards the Braves in 2022.

Storyline: Battle of NL titans. Though these groups haven’t met within the postseason for the reason that Nineties, they’ve every been mainstays within the playoffs lately, with San Diego reaching two of the final three postseasons and Atlanta reaching every of the final 5. Unsurprisingly, each are among the many favorites to win the NL this season.

Watch out for: Xander Bogaerts. Though it’s nonetheless early, Bogaerts has lived as much as his monster 11-year contract thus far. He leads the Padres in a litany of offensive stats, together with however not restricted to batting common (.354), on-base proportion (.427) and slugging proportion (.585).

Mets at Dodgers
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head to move: The Mets went 4-3 towards the Dodgers in 2022. They cut up a four-game collection in Los Angeles, and the Mets took two out of three in New York.

Storyline: Which reigning 100-win staff can get again to that stage? These have been two of MLB’s 4 100-win groups final season, becoming a member of the Astros and Braves (extra on them later). But whether or not or not it’s by way of free company (e.g. Chris Bassitt, Jacob deGrom, Trea Turner, Justin Turner) or harm (e.g. Edwin Díaz, Gavin Lux, Tony Gonsolin), each have misplaced core members from these groups, and each want to determine tips on how to regulate.

Watch out for: Noah Syndergaard. Though he has struggled this season (0-2, 5.63 ERA), this would be the first time that the longtime Met faces off towards his outdated staff since he declined New York’s qualifying provide in free company after the 2021 season. Syndergaard is projected to begin on Wednesday.

Angels at Yankees
3 video games (Tuesday-Thursday)

Head to move: The Yankees went 4-2 towards the Angels in 2022. The Yankees swept a three-game house collection, however misplaced two of three in Los Angeles.

Storyline: Star energy. This collection will characteristic the high two vote-getters within the 2022 AL MVP race, with winner Aaron Judge and runner-up Shohei Ohtani. For what it’s price, Mike Trout completed eighth within the voting, regardless of solely enjoying 119 video games. Though Ohtani just isn’t projected to begin on the mound on this collection, we are going to nonetheless see among the world’s finest gamers making an attempt to outshine each other.

Watch out for: Logan O’Hoppe. Raise your hand should you thought earlier than the season that O’Hoppe (who’s from New York) could be the staff chief in house runs on a roster that options Trout and Ohtani. Now put your hand down should you have been daring sufficient to deceive your self like that. But that’s the case for the rookie catcher, whose team-high 4 house runs have been a pleasing shock.

Astros at Braves
3 video games (Friday-Sunday)

Head to move: The Braves went 2-1 towards the Astros in 2022, throughout a three-game collection in Atlanta in August. They additionally confronted off within the 2021 World Series, which the Braves gained in six video games.

Storyline: As beforehand talked about, these have been two of the 4 100-win groups final season, becoming a member of the Dodgers and Mets. They are additionally two of 4 groups to make every of the previous 5 postseasons, becoming a member of the Dodgers and Yankees. And, after all, they met within the World Series in 2021. By any metric, these groups have been MLB’s gold commonplace lately.

Watch out for: Ronald Acuña Jr. Acuña didn’t get to be a part of that World Series win in 2021, having torn his ACL earlier that 12 months. But the 25-year-old seems to be again in prime kind this season, not solely on the plate (.373/.455/.567 line) but additionally with a team-high seven steals.