The nearer we get to October, the extra vital every collection turns into for groups in postseason rivalry. This week options a number of collection with main playoff implications as we head into the ultimate weeks of the common season.
From the highest two golf equipment within the American League East dealing with off to a number of collection involving Wild Card hopefuls in each leagues, you do not wish to miss what might very effectively be a number of the most necessary and dramatic baseball of your complete season.
Here are 5 collection to maintain your eye on this week:
Braves at Phillies
4 video games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head-to-head: The Braves have taken 4 of the six conferences between the 2 National League East rivals up to now this season. Following this four-game set in Philadelphia, the golf equipment will meet for yet another collection throughout the common season, from Sept. 18-20 in Atlanta.
Storyline: The Phillies had been underneath .500 till mid-June, when the defending NL champions turned issues round and vaulted themselves again into postseason rivalry. That’s the place they’ve stayed since then, and Philadelphia presently occupies the highest NL Wild Card spot. The Phils completed sturdy in August, ending the month with wins in seven of their last 9 video games. They’ve stumbled a bit up to now in September, dropping collection to the Brewers and, over the weekend, the Marlins.
The Braves, in the meantime, proceed to roll towards a sixth consecutive NL East title. With the most effective lineup in baseball and top-of-the-line pitching staffs from high to backside, there simply would not appear to be a weak point on Atlanta’s roster. With a victory over the Pirates on Sunday, the Braves turned the primary group to clinch a postseason berth this season.
Watch out for: Who else however Ronald Acuña Jr.? Heading into the ultimate three weeks of the common season, Acuña and the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts are neck-and-neck within the NL MVP race. Beyond that, Acuña is continuous to make historical past with each residence run he hits and each base he steals. Could he break the seal on the 40-homer/70-steal membership? He’s already inaugurated the 30/60 membership, and he is solely 5 homers and 6 steals shy.
Rangers at Blue Jays
4 video games (Monday-Thursday)
Head-to-head: The Rangers received two of the three video games these golf equipment have performed towards each other up to now this season, successful a collection at Globe Life Field from June 16-18.
Storyline: The Jays are sizzling. The Rangers will not be. With a sweep of the Royals over the weekend, Toronto has received eight of its final 10 video games. And whereas Texas received two of three towards the A’s over the weekend, the Rangers have been scuffling since mid-August — since Aug. 16, they’re 6-16.
With Bo Bichette again on the sphere after he was sidelined with a quad damage, the Blue Jays have overtaken the Mariners within the AL Wild Card standings. The Rangers, who occupied first place within the AL West for many of the season, discover themselves three video games behind the Astros within the division and a half-game behind the Mariners for the third Wild Card place.
Watch out for: One Ranger who hasn’t struggled this month is Marcus Semien. The slugging second baseman has been red-hot in September, including 4 hits — together with two residence runs — in Sunday’s 9-4 win in Oakland. He’s 14-for-38 with an OPS of 1.192 this month. With Adolis García and Josh Jung sidelined by damage, Semien’s contributions have been essential. Texas will want that to proceed if it hopes to achieve the postseason.
Marlins at Brewers
4 video games (Monday-Thursday)
Head-to-head: This would be the first collection between these golf equipment in 2023. They’ll additionally play three in Miami from Sept. 22-24.
Storyline: The Marlins are taking part in effectively when it counts — up to now in September, Miami is 7-2, successful collection towards the Nationals, Dodgers and Phillies. The Brewers are coming off a heart-breaking loss within the Bronx, the place they took a mixed no-hitter into the eleventh inning towards the Yankees, solely to see that damaged up earlier than shedding to New York in 13 innings. Milwaukee is attempting to carry off the Cubs, who proceed to maintain issues tight within the NL Central, simply three video games behind the Brewers.
Watch out for: The Brewers’ offense. Milwaukee has lately relied closely on its sturdy pitching employees from high to backside, and simply sufficient hitting. But up to now in September, the membership’s lineup has produced seven or extra runs in 5 of 9 video games. And since Aug. 3, the Brewers rank tenth in MLB in runs scored. If that continues behind the pitching of Corbin Burnes (eight no-hit innings vs. the Yankees on Sunday), Freddy Peralta (2.09 ERA over his final eight begins) and Brandon Woodruff (2.78 ERA in six begins since coming off the injured listing), specifically, the Brewers may very well be very harmful in September and past.
Rays at Orioles
4 video games (Thursday-Sunday)
Head-to-head: The Orioles have received six of the 9 conferences between these golf equipment up to now this season. This is the ultimate common season collection between them.
Storyline: The AL East title might very effectively be determined by the result of this head-to-head matchup. The Orioles enter the week main the Rays by three video games within the division, and when the upcoming four-game set between them is full, there’ll solely be two weeks remaining within the common season.
Watch out for: Left-hander John Means is slated to make his season debut for the Orioles on Tuesday at Camden Yards towards the Cardinals. It’ll be his first look for Baltimore since present process Tommy John surgical procedure in April 2022, and if he proves efficient, particularly towards the Rays this weekend, it may very well be an enormous increase for a Baltimore membership that has surpassed expectations with an unheralded beginning rotation. Means was one of many Orioles’ finest starters from 2019-22, a interval over which he posted a 3.72 ERA (124 ERA+).
Cubs at D-backs
3 video games (Friday-Sunday)
Head-to-head: The D-backs took three out of 4 from the Cubs at Wrigley Field this previous weekend, they usually’ll meet once more for one more weekend collection with NL Wild Card implications abounding. Entering the week, Chicago is in possession of the second NL Wild Card spot, two video games up on the D-backs, who occupy the third Wild Card place.
Storyline: Both of those groups have raised eyebrows across the baseball world this season — the D-backs did that early on, coming into the second half main the NL West, and the Cubs have been surging since mid-July. While the Dodgers are closing in on one other division title with an enormous lead over Arizona within the NL West, Chicago is simply three video games behind Milwaukee within the NL Central.
Watch out for: If you needed to identify one participant who has been most vital to the Cubs’ success this season, it might be Cody Bellinger. The former NL Rookie of the Year and MVP fell on arduous instances from 2020-22, however he is bounced again in an enormous manner together with his new membership in ’23. Bellinger smashed his twenty fifth residence run of the season in Sunday’s win over the D-backs at Wrigley Field, and he owns a 1.043 OPS with 5 homers already this month.
Content Source: www.mlb.com