5 series to watch with plenty of postseason implications

We’re nicely into the month of August now, and which means postseason races are heating up. With the stakes rising as we get ever nearer to October, there are going to be loads of massive sequence to maintain your eye on the remainder of the way in which.

This week is filled with intriguing matchups between golf equipment within the thick of division and Wild Card races. A pair of shock National League contenders face off, as do American League powers from the East and West. There’s additionally an Interleague matchup between two of the most popular groups in baseball, every surging in the standings after a disappointing first half.

Here are 5 of them you wish to ensure to not miss this week:

Marlins (58-55) at Reds (59-55)
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head-to-head: The Reds took two of three video games when the golf equipment met in Miami from May 12-14. Cincinnati gained three of the 4 matchups between the groups in 2022.

Storyline: Both the Marlins and Reds had been shock groups within the first half of the season, with Miami heading into the All-Star break with a 53-39 document, and the Reds going into the break in first place within the National League Central with a 50-41 mark. But since then, each golf equipment have fallen on exhausting instances. With a fourth consecutive loss Sunday in opposition to the Rangers in Texas, Miami fell to 5-16 within the second half. Meanwhile, Cincinnati has misplaced six straight and is 9-13 for the reason that All-Star break.

Watch out for: Rookie right-hander Eury Pérez is returning to the mound for the Marlins after spending a month within the Minors to observe his workload. The 20-year-old, who was MLB Pipeline’s prime pitching prospect when he debuted with Miami on May 12, posted a 2.36 ERA in 11 begins — that was the bottom ERA for a pitcher 20 years previous or youthful over his first 11 begins within the Live Ball Era (since 1920).

Giants (61-51) at Angels (56-57)
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head-to-head: The Giants and Angels shall be assembly for the primary time since 2021, when San Francisco gained three of the 4 video games within the season sequence. The groups cut up a two-game set at Oracle Park from May 31-June 1, after which the Giants gained each video games of a two-game sequence at Angel Stadium from June 22-23.

Storyline: Both golf equipment are in want of a turnaround after disappointing performances over the weekend. The Giants dropped two video games to the crew with the worst document in baseball, the cross-bay A’s. Prior to that, San Francisco had gained three consecutive sequence in opposition to the A’s, Red Sox and D-backs. The Angels, in the meantime, have been in freefall for the reason that Trade Deadline, once they determined to carry on to impending free agent and two-way celebrity Shohei Ohtani, shedding six straight and teetering on the point of falling out of postseason competition.

Watch out for: Ohtani is at all times somebody to be careful for, however on this case, not just for his unparalleled two-way excellence. Ohtani, who’s scheduled to begin within the sequence finale in opposition to the Giants on Wednesday, has thrown 13 scoreless innings over his previous two begins, however his final outing was minimize quick after 4 frames attributable to cramping in his pitching hand and fingers. In three video games on the plate since then, he’s 2-for-12.

Padres (55-57) at Mariners (60-52)
2 video games (Tuesday-Wednesday)

Head-to-head: These golf equipment cut up a two-game sequence at Petco Park from June 6-7. The Mariners gained three of 4 within the season sequence final 12 months.

Storyline: The Mariners have lastly gotten on a roll after a lackluster first half for a membership that had excessive hopes coming off their first postseason look in 21 years. Seattle simply polished off a four-game sweep of the Angels in Anaheim and has gained 10 of its final 12 general. The Padres additionally had a disappointing first half of the season, and whereas San Diego’s second half hasn’t been nearly as good as Seattle’s to date, it’s been an enchancment. Despite shedding at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, the Padres have gained seven of their final 11 to get again into the thick of the NL Wild Card chase.

Watch out for: If the Mariners are going to make a postseason push, they’ll want their celebrity heart fielder to ship in massive moments. And it seems Julio Rodríguez is beginning to warmth up on the plate. Over his previous three video games, J-Rod is 7-for-11 with three doubles and a homer. Watch for the engine that drives the M’s to propel them ahead of their present sizzling stretch once they return residence to host the Padres.

Astros (64-49) at Orioles (70-42)
3 video games (Tuesday-Thursday)

Head-to-head: This would be the first head-to-head assembly of those American League powerhouses in 2023, and Tuesday’s opener would be the first of six video games within the season sequence, with the opposite three scheduled for Sept. 18-20 at Minute Maid Park. The Astros took the season sequence final 12 months, 4 video games to a few.

Storyline: The Orioles have handed each take a look at to date this season with regards to proving their mettle as top-of-the-line groups in baseball. Now they’ll welcome the defending World Series champions into city for 3 video games between a pair of groups taking part in good baseball.

Baltimore is coming off a weekend sweep of the Mets, which got here on the heels of sequence wins over the Blue Jays and Yankees. The Astros simply cut up a four-game set within the Bronx after sweeping the Guardians at residence. The first-place O’s look to place some extra distance between themselves and the Rays within the AL East, whereas the Astros attempt to shut the two 1/2-game hole between themselves and the Rangers within the AL West.

Watch out for: Framber Valdez will take the mound for the primary time since throwing a no-hitter in opposition to the Guardians final Tuesday. The historic feat got here following a sequence of tough outings for the star left-hander — over his earlier three begins, he gave up 15 runs in 15 innings. Keep an eye fixed on Valdez to see if the no-no will get him entering into the suitable course down the stretch for Houston.

Cubs (58-54) at Blue Jays (63-50)
3 video games (Friday-Sunday)

Head-to-head: This would be the first assembly between the Cubs and Jays since Toronto gained two of three at Rogers Centre from Aug. 29-31, 2022. Prior to that sequence, the golf equipment hadn’t met since 2017. 

Storyline: Both groups are taking part in nicely of late and making an attempt to make a powerful postseason push as we hit the stretch run of the common season. The Cubs have been red-hot, successful 15 of their final 19 video games to vault themselves again into competition within the NL Central. That consists of an spectacular sequence win over the weekend in opposition to the Braves. The Blue Jays are coming off an emphatic sweep of the Red Sox in Boston, successful the sequence finale Sunday by a 13-1 margin. Toronto appears to be like to achieve a tighter grip of its maintain on an AL Wild Card spot.

Watch out for: Davis Schneider, the Blue Jays’ No. 28 prospect per MLB Pipeline, had a debut sequence for the ages in Boston over the weekend, changing into the primary participant in MLB historical past to select up 9 hits, together with two residence runs, over the primary three video games of his massive league profession. Schneider was the catalyst that sparked a Toronto offense that had been dormant following Bo Bichette’s knee harm. Schneider shall be appointment viewing throughout this sequence.