Division clashes could be tone-setters

ROYALS AT RANGERS (April 20-23)

Texas, the defending American League West champion, will welcome Kansas City in for a four-game set as it dips its toes back in the AL Central waters after losing three in a row to the Cleveland Indians to open the season. The Rangers, who have won six in a row against Kansas City, will look to duplicate their four-game sweep of the Royals the last time they visited Arlington, Texas, in late July.

NATIONALS AT METS (April 21-23)

The fight for the National League East could well come down to who wins the season series between the division’s two best teams. The Mets won 11 of 19 in 2015, when they won the East. The Nationals won 12 of 19 last year and took back the division. The Nationals are 48-28 all time at Citi Field, but much of that advantage was built from 2012 to 2014, when they went 24-5 and outhomered the Mets 53-19. The final game of the series will be Sunday night.

RED SOX AT ORIOLES (April 21-23)

Baltimore and Boston split a two-game series at Fenway Park this month, the first of their 19 meetings this season, and they’re 20-20 since the start of 2015. The Orioles hit five home runs to win April 12, the most homers Baltimore has hit at Fenway Park since hitting six Oct. 1, 1977. Adam Jones has 27 career homers against Boston, third most among active players. In 21 career games at Camden Yards,

Mookie Betts is hitting .346 with nine home runs and 16 RBI.

PADRES AT DIAMONDACKS (April 24-27)

In theory, it’s exciting to get four games at home against the low-- payroll Padres as Arizona looks to reprise its 6-1 homestand to start the season. For the Padres, however, there’s reason to expect improvement on last year’s dismal 2-7 record in Phoenix. The team’s outfield defense is much improved, featuring two center fielders in Manuel

Margot and Travis Jankowski. Rookie Hunter Renfroe has good speed for a right fielder and has a very good arm. Vast, arid Chase Field is a tough place for outfielders, much like Coors Field, where the Padres won a series this month.

ASTROS AT INDIANS (April 25-27)

Two teams with hopes of reaching the World Series square off. Though the Astros have gone 9-19 against the Indians since shifting to the American League before the 2013 season, they won last year’s season series 4-3. First baseman

Yulieski Gurriel was 6-for-15 (.400) with a double and two home runs vs. Cleveland, while utility player Marwin Gonzalez went 7-for-23 (.304) with three doubles and two homers. Astros right-hander Mike Fiers and Indians righty

Trevor Bauer each won two games.

BLUE JAYS AT CARDINALS (April 25-27)

Two teams off to awful starts after entering the season with postseason aspirations meet in an interleague series. The Blue Jays lost 10 of their first 12 games, the worst start in franchise history, while the Cardinals dropped nine of their first 12. The Blue Jays reached the AL Championship Series in each of the last two seasons. The Cardinals missed reaching the NL playoffs by one game last season after five consecutive postseason appearances. The teams will be meeting for the first time since 2014 and the first time at Busch Stadium since 2011.