SERIES TO WATCH
DODGERS AT BRAVES (July 26-29)
The Dodgers come to SunTrust Park with ex-Braves Matt
Kemp and Alex Wood and also with headline addition Manny
Machado, but the focus will also be on a Braves team that spent most of the first half of the season in first place. The Braves lost two of three at Dodger Stadium in June, and they also lost two of three at home to the Dodgers last season, in SunTrust Park’s debut year. The Braves know plenty about Machado, who hit a 15th-inning home run off Peter Moylan when he was still playing for the Orioles in June.
CUBS AT CARDINALS (July 27-29)
The National League Central rivals meet for the next-to-last time this season in a threegame series at Busch Stadium after the Cubs won three times in a five-game series last weekend at Wrigley Field. The Cardinals are 7-6 in the season series thanks in part to third baseman
Matt Carpenter (.333, eight home runs, 18 RBI against the Cubs) and center fielder Tommy Pham (.342, three homers). Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo has hit .413 against St. Louis with three doubles, a triple and a home run, and second baseman Javier Baez is at .348 with three homers.
A’S AT ROCKIES (July 27-29)
Improving a .500 home win rate from the season’s first half is a realistic goal for Colorado. The Rockies’ top hitter at home was Trevor Story, who had 16 homers and a 1.150 OPS (onbase plus slugging percentage). Top pitchers at home were Adam Ottavino (0.96 ERA, 18
games) and Kyle Freeland (5-2, 2.76 ERA, eight starts). Oakland is 10-4 against NL teams.
PHILLIES AT RED SOX (July 30-31)
The Phillies and Red Sox meet for the first time in their four-game season series. The Red Sox took the 2017 season series 3-1, but three of the four games were decided by one run. A Philadelphia win in the final game of the season series last year snapped Boston’s sevengame win streak against the Phillies. The Phillies are 9-4 in interleague games this season while the Red Sox are 7-1.
INDIANS AT TWINS (July 30-Aug. 1)
The second-place Twins get another chance to cut into the Indians’ lead in the American League Central after going 6-3 against Cleveland so far this season. Leading the way for Minnesota has been left fielder
Eddie Rosario, who is hitting .436 (17-for-39) against Cleveland with two doubles, six home runs and 11 RBI. Infielder Eduardo Escobar is batting .361 (13for-36) with six doubles, three homers and nine RBI. Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor and designated hitter Edwin
Encarnacion both have four home runs in the season series.
ASTROS AT MARINERS (July 30-Aug. 1)
The top two teams in the AL West for the majority of the season face each other in this three-game set. Houston is trying to win its second consecutive division title and World Series championship while Seattle is restless to snap a 17-year streak of not reaching the postseason. The Astros have won four of six from the M’s this season, which includes taking three of four in April at Seattle.