SERIES TO WATCH
PHILLIES AT BRAVES (Sept. 20-23)
Maybe the schedule-maker knew something by having these two teams meet seven times in the final 11 games of the season. They’ve been the best two teams in the National League East, both arriving a year or so ahead of schedule in their rebuilding process and taking advantage of off years by the New York Mets and Washington Nationals, who had won the NL East the last four seasons. The Braves have won seven of the first 12 head-to-head matchups with the Phillies, including four of six at SunTrust Park.
RED SOX AT INDIANS (Sept. 21-23)
The first two teams to clinch playoff spots will meet for the second and final time — for the regular season — after splitting four games at Fenway Park in August. J.D. Martinez is batting .308 with 18 homers (his most against any opponent), 54 RBI and 33 runs in 61 career games against Cleveland. Edwin Encarnacion’s 97 career RBI against Boston are his most against any opponent, and his 32 career homers are his second most.
CUBS AT WHITE SOX (Sept. 21-23)
The Cubs will try to avoid stumbling in their pursuit of a third consecutive National League Central title when they visit their crosstown rivals. The Cubs took two of three from the White Sox in May at Wrigley Field as catcher Willson Contreras went 7-for-13 (.538) with two doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI. White Sox designated hitter Matt Davidson was 3for-8 (.375) with two homers and five RBI.
ROCKIES AT DIAMONDBACKS (Sept. 21-23)
If they can’t make the playoffs, the Diamondbacks would love to derail the Rockies a year after beating them in the wildcard game. Colorado likely will face co-aces Zack Greinke and Patrick Corbin and hasn’t had great success against Paul Goldschmidt (five home runs, .420 on-base percentage in 16 games), A.J. Pollock (eight extra-base hits in 13 games) and David Peralta (.400 batting average). MVP candidates Trevor Story and Nolan Arenado have six homers apiece for the Rockies in the season series, which stands at 8-8.
BREWERS AT CARDINALS (Sept. 24-26)
The NL Central rivals and contenders begin the final week of the regular season with a pivotal three-game series. The teams have split 16 games this season, and Milwaukee right fielder Christian Yelich has hit five home runs while St. Louis first baseman Matt Carpenter has gone deep four times. Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas has gone 3-0 with a 4.01 ERA in four starts against the Brewers.
ATHLETICS AT MARINERS (Sept. 24-26)
The Mariners, who at one time this season led Oakland by 11 games, think they still have a shot at an AL wild-card berth, but this likely will be their last opportunity to make up their sizable wild-card deficit. Even if Seattle sweeps the A’s, the path to its first trip to the playoffs since 2001 is full of potholes. The M’s have won nine of the 16 games between the teams, who split a four-game series in Oakland at the start of the month.