5 series to keep your eye on as postseason races heat up

Now that we’re previous the All-Star break and into mid-July, MLB’s already tight playoff races are solely going to warmth up extra. The sport has no scarcity of shock playoff contenders, together with however not restricted to the Orioles, Rangers, D-backs and Reds, so the second half of the season will function a litmus check for a way professional these upstart groups are.

All 4 of those groups will probably be put to the check in high-profile matchups this week. Among different key showdowns, Cincinnati will face Arizona in a battle of thrilling younger NL groups, whereas Texas will host Tampa Bay in a battle for AL supremacy.

Those matchups, and extra, are included in our 5 sequence to observe throughout the week of July 17:

Dodgers (53-39) at Orioles (57-35)
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head to go: These groups final performed in September 2019, when the Dodgers gained two out of three video games in Baltimore.

Watch out for: Mookie Betts. Here’s Betts’ OPS by month this season: .781 from March-April, .958 in May, 1.037 in June and 1.381 in July (to go together with 5 homers in 11 video games). It’s not too exhausting to sense the sample right here, and if that sample continues, Betts might catch as much as Ronald Acuña Jr. in the MVP race.

Rays (60-36) at Rangers (55-39)
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head to go: This would be the second sequence between these two groups this season, after the Rays gained two of three video games at house in June.

Storyline: Who’s the very best of the very best within the AL? This is a battle of MLB’s prime two groups in run differential, with the Rangers (+159) simply forward of the Rays (+152). It is also a showdown of MLB’s prime scoring offense (Texas, 5.86 runs per sport) in opposition to its prime protection (Tampa Bay, 3.83 runs allowed per sport). By almost any metric, these squads have excelled, making this a possible playoff preview.

Padres (44-50) at Blue Jays (53-41)
3 video games (Tuesday-Thursday)

Head to go: These groups final performed in May 2019, when the Padres gained two of three video games in Toronto.

Storyline: Are MLB.com’s preseason World Series favorites going to show it round within the second half? If so, the Padres don’t have a lot time to take action. Only three groups have ever made the playoffs after dropping a minimum of 50 of their first 94 video games, and none have performed so because the 1984 Royals (although, to be truthful, MLB’s postseason has expanded considerably lately).

D-backs (52-42) at Reds (50-44)
3 video games (Friday-Sunday)

Head to go: These groups haven’t but confronted off this season. In 2022, the Reds went 4-3 in opposition to Arizona, together with a cut up of a four-game sequence in Cincinnati.

Storyline: Which of those shock groups is legit — if not each? Arizona hasn’t made the playoffs since 2017, whereas the Reds haven’t performed so in a 162-game season since 2013. But, largely due to some elite rookies (Corbin Carroll, Spencer Steer, Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz), and a few aggressive baserunning (these are the NL’s prime two groups in stolen bases, with Cincinnati main MLB), each are having their finest season in years.

Watch out for: Ketel Marte. Lost in all of the dialogue concerning the D-backs’ younger expertise is the truth that Marte is having an enormous bounce-back 12 months in his ninth MLB season. His 15 house runs are already the second-most he’s ever had in a season (he had 32 in 2019), and his .851 OPS trails solely Luis Arraez amongst certified second basemen.

Phillies (51-42) at Guardians (45-48)
3 video games (Friday-Sunday)

Head to go: These two groups final performed in September 2019, when Cleveland gained two out of three video games at house.

Storyline: Are the Phillies again? You possible keep in mind how their 2022 season went: a 21-29 begin, adopted by Rob Thomson coming in and turning the ship round, resulting in an 87-75 season and an NL pennant. While there’s an extended method to go, 2023 seems to be eerily comparable (minus the brand new interim supervisor half), as Philadelphia is 26-10 since a 25-32 begin.

Watch out for: Bryson Stott. Though his roster is full of greater names like Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and J.T. Realmuto, Stott has performed a significant function in Philadelphia’s aforementioned turnaround. The second-year second baseman has a .328 batting common since June 1, main a Phillies offense that has averaged 5.21 runs per sport over that span.