SERIES TO WATCH
CARDINALS AT CUBS (July 19-22)
While the other 28 teams get four days off for the All-Star break, these National League Central rivals go back to work a day early to begin a five-game series. The Cardinals lead the season series 5-3 after going 514 against the Cubs a year ago. Second baseman Kolten Wong has led the way for St. Louis this season, going 6-for-17 (.353) against the Cubs with one triple and one home run. Left-hander
Jon Lester has two of Chicago’s three wins against the Cardinals and has allowed four earned runs in 171⁄3 innings over three starts for a 2.08 ERA.
METS AT YANKEES (July 20-22)
After taking two of three at Citi Field in June, the Yankees host the Mets for the final installment of this season’s Subway Series. The Mets won the finale of the previous series, beating Luis Severino to end an eight-game losing streak and breaking the Yankees’ six-game Subway Series winning streak.
Giancarlo Stanton’s 36 homers vs. the Mets are his most against any opponent.
BRAVES AT NATIONALS (July 20-22)
It’s a great way to start the second half of the season, with the team that was expected to dominate the NL East hosting the team that held first place in the division for most of the first half. It’s also a meeting of outfielders Juan Soto of the Nationals and Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Braves, the two youngest players in the major leagues. The Braves went 6-4 against the Nationals in the first half of the season, although they lost two of three in their only visit to Nationals Park.
DODGERS AT BREWERS (July 20-22)
The Dodgers go to a hitterfriendly park to face a fellow playoff contender. The Brewers own a .625 win rate at home; the Dodgers, at .568, are no slouches on the road. The Dodgers’ Joc
Pederson has seven home runs and a 1.056 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) on the road this season, and Max
Muncy (eight homers, .420 onbase percentage) and Matt
Kemp (seven homers, .942 OPS) also have done well away from Dodger Stadium. The teams haven’t met this year after splitting six games last year.
ANGELS AT ASTROS (July 20-22)
It’s been a disappointing year for the fourth-place Angels, mostly because of injuries to their rotation, but they’ll try to get back on track with a strong showing against the American League West-leading Astros. It will be a tough challenge for the Angels; Houston’s starting pitchers will be left-hander Dallas Keuchel and right-handers
Justin Verlander and Lance
McCullers Jr. The teams have split six games this year.
PIRATES AT INDIANS (July 23-25)
Two teams separated by 132 miles of turnpike meet for the first time since 2015. Despite the proximity of the franchises, Major League Baseball has not designated them as “natural” rivals to face each other on a yearly basis in interleague play, much to the consternation of fans in both cities. The Pirates play the Detroit Tigers each season while the Indians and Cincinnati Reds meet annually. The Pirates took two of three from the Indians three years ago in Pittsburgh.