SERIES TO WATCH
YANKEES AT RED SOX (Aug. 2-5)
The Yankees hold a 5-4 lead in the season series, and after the teams’ last meeting they were tied atop the American League East. Since then, though, the Yankees have lost a lot of ground to the Red Sox and they need to start making up the difference during this fourgame series at Fenway Park.
Andrew Benintendi has hit safely in all eight games he has played against the Yankees this season and is hitting .313. In nine games against Boston,
Giancarlo Stanton is hitting .424 with three doubles, a triple, two home runs and seven RBI.
GIANTS AT DIAMONDBACKS (Aug. 2-5)
The Giants lead the season series 7-5 on the strength of a 3.00 ERA. The top Giants hitters against Arizona this year have been Brandon Crawford with a .945 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) and Pablo Sandoval with a .908 OPS. As usual, Giants killer Paul Goldschmidt is scorching San Francisco pitching: .419 average, seven doubles, three home runs and nine RBI.
CARDINALS AT PIRATES (Aug. 3-5)
Both teams are on the fringe of the National League Central race, but their more realistic hope is to earn a wild card. They have split 10 games this season. Cardinals left fielder Marcell
Ozuna is hitting .424 against the Pirates this season with two doubles and two home runs, and infielder-outfielder Yairo
Munoz is at .333 with a double, a homer and eight RBI. Pirates left fielder Corey Dickerson is batting .323 in the season series with two doubles and one triple.
ASTROS AT DODGERS (Aug. 3-5)
It won’t get as much as attention as it did last October, but this is a sizzling summer rematch of the World Series. Both teams lead their respective divisions and are positioned for deep October runs. The Dodgers likely will face right-hander
Justin Verlander, whom L.A. targeted last summer before he was acquired by Houston and helped the Astros win the Series. The Astros are expected to miss lefty Clayton Kershaw in the only three games between these teams all season — unless there’s a fall rematch.
TWINS AT INDIANS (Aug. 6-9)
The Twins, second in the AL Central, play the division-leading Indians for the second consecutive week, this time in a four-game series at Progressive Field. This marks the next-tolast meeting of the season between the teams; they will square off one more time this season, again in Cleveland, for three games Aug. 28-30. Minnesota took two of three in its previous trip to Cleveland in June.
BRAVES AT NATIONALS (Aug. 7-9)
Every series is a big one for the Nationals as they try to overcome their surprisingly poor first half, but this one is bigger than most. For one thing, the Braves and Nats will play four games as they make up a rainout with an Aug. 7 day-night doubleheader. For another, the Braves are one of the teams the Nationals might need to catch if they want to make the playoffs for a third consecutive October. The Braves are 7-5 against the Nationals this year and have a chance to win the season series for the first time since 2014.