The 5 MLB series for the coming week features smoking hot teams facing off in head-to-head and red-hot hitters who intend to continue their prodigious production at the plate. Something is bound to give when a pair of America League East giants fight, two National League East clubs both ride big win streaks face-offs, etc.
These are 5 MLB series to keep an eye out for this week:
Padres (35-36) at Giants (39-32)
4 games (Monday – Thursday)
Head-to-head: These two National League West open the 5 MLB series this week. The rivals met in Mexico City from April 29-30, with San Diego sweeping the short series with a 16-11 slugfest victory in the first game and a 6-4 win the next day.
Story: The San Francisco Giants enter this series red-hot on a seven-game win streak and off a sweep at Dodger Stadium where they outscored the LA Dodgers, 29-8. Sunday’s 7-3 victory took San Francisco into second position in the division. The Padres have been paying well as well, they also won seven of 10 after taking two of three from the Rays at Petco Park over the weekend.
Look out for: Fernando Tatis Jr. had a .743 OPS at the end of May. In 16 games this month, he raised that OPS to .912 thanks to 10 doubles and five homers. He is also continuing to handle right field with aplomb, with the latest example coming in Suanday’s series finale against Tampa Bay.
In the eighth inning, Tatis prevented the tying run from scoring thanks to a 99.5 mph toss to home plate.
Dodgers (39-33) at Angels (41-33)
2 games (Tuesday – Wednesday)
Head-to-head: This week’s renewal of the Freeway Series will mark the first head-to-head meeting between the Dodgers and Angels this season. Last year, the Dodgers took all four head-to-head games.
Storyline: Both teams are in unfamiliar territory, the Dodgers find themselves in third position in the NL West after a sweeping by the Giants, and the Angels are in second position in the AL West near the halfway mark of the regular season. The two clubs are moving in opposite directions, with Los Angeles losing 10 of 15 games this month and the Angels winning 11 of their previous 14.
Look out for: Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani always stuns at the plate and on the mound, but he is on an offensive run that launched him into the Major League lead for home runs (24) and he is locked as ever with the bat. Over his last 15 games, Ohtani is hitting .446 with nine home runs, plus multiple awe-inspiring shots to the opposite field.
Orioles (44-27) at Rays (51-24)
2 games (Tuesday – Wednesday)
Head-to-head: The Baltimore Orioles took two of three games against the Rays in Baltimore from May 8-10. Last year, the season series was even, with the Tampa Bay Rays winning 10 and the Orioles winning nine.
Storyline: Although it was not expected during Spring Training, this matchup is now a clash of AL East titans, with the Rays maintaining the best record in the Majors, while Baltimore is five matches in the division. Tampa Bay began the season on a tear, but fell on hard times lately, only having completed a losing road trip through Oakland and San Diego. The Orioles, on the other hand, have won seven of 10.
Look out for: To surprise a team like the Orioles, the Rays will need certain breakout performances. That is what Baltimore continues to get from Tyler Wells right-hander and left-fielder Austin Hays. Wells is making a strong All-Star bid with his 3.20 ERA and MLB-leading 0.86 WHIP, and Hays owns a .875 OPS on the season after batting .480 with three doubles and a homer over his last six games.
Braves (46-26) at Phillies (38-34)
3 games (Tuesday – Thursday)
Head-to-head: The two teams divided a four-game series in Atlanta from May 25-28. Last season, the Braves won 11 of 19 meetings.
Storyline: Both teams have played well lately, with each winning 13 out of 15 games heading into this week’s head-to-head matchup. The Phillies are off a 6-1 road trip where they took three of four from the NL West-leading Diamondbacks before sweeping the Athletics in Oakland. The Braves, on the other hand, just swept the Rockies and outscored Colorado by 28 runs, tied for the second-highest run differential in any four-game set in Braves history.
Look out for: Philadelphia sluggers J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber had strong road trips, with Realmuto hitting .409 with two doubles, two triples, three homers and five walks in six games (not to include the first Phillies cycle in 19 years), and Schwaber who was batting .171/.323/.430 before the trip hitting .310 with three homers.
On Atlanta’s side, Michael Harris II is enjoying a resurgence at the plate after a slow start to the season, posting a .978 OPS since May 25, including a five-hit game Sunday against the Colorado Rockies that included a 453-foot homer.
Rangers (44-27) at Yankees (39-33)
3 games (Friday-Sunday)
Head-to-head: The Rangers won three of four against the Yankees at Globe Life Field from April 28-30, after the Yankees won four of the seven games in the season series last year.
Storyline: While the Rangers keep impressing out west, retaining the lead position in their division under the steady guidance of Bruce Bochy, the Yankees continue to founder without their captain. Aaron Judge injured his toe in a clash with Dodger Stadium outfield fence on June 3, the Bronx Bombers lost eight of 12 games, plus five to the Red Sox alone following a weekend sweep in Boston.
Look out for: Corey Seager is blowing hot at the plate. After his 4-for-5 performance with two doubles and three RBIs in Sunday’s win over the Blue Jays, Seager leads the Majors (minimum 150 plate appearances) with a 193 wRC+. He is batting .486 with five doubles and four homers over his past nine games.
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