LEADING OFF

TOUGH TASK: Yoenis Cespedes and the Mets begin a 10-game road trip in Los Angeles today against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw (9-2, 2.23 ERA). The three-time Cy Young Award winner is 8-1 with a 1.49 ERA in 13 career starts vs. New York, which has batted a combined .177 against him. Zack Wheeler (3-4, 4.48) gets the ball for New York, coming off the worst start of his career vs. the Cubs.

ROCKIN’ ROYALS: Mike Moustakas and the Royals return home after going 7-2 on their California road trip and scoring at least seven runs in six of those wins, bolstered by 18 homers.

FADING FAST: Looking to stop a nine-game losing streak, the last-place Reds (29-39) send Scott Feldman (5-5, 4.29) to the mound at Tampa Bay. The skid is the longest for Cincinnati since an 11-game slide in May 2016.

CLUTCH CANADIAN: Russell Martin has seven home runs this season, and five have either tied the game or given Toronto a lead, including his tying shot in a victory over the White Sox on Sunday. The Blue Jays are set to open a four-game series at Texas, the site of last year’s brawl that included Rougned Odor’s punch to the face of Jose Bautista.