Preview Roundups
August 02, 2019
Milwaukee at Chi. Cubs 2:20 PM ET
The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers have combined to win the last three National League Central titles as they reconvene for a weekend series beginning Friday at Wrigley Field. Chicago is 2-4 during a nine-game stretch against Milwaukee and St. Louis, losing two of three in each city after Thursday's 8-0 loss to the Cardinals, and finds itself one game behind first-place St. Louis - NL Central champion from 2013-15 - with Milwaukee two back of the Cardinals.
Boston at NY Yankees 7:05 PM ET
The New York Yankees missed an opportunity to bury the Red Sox in the American League East last weekend in Boston, but they'll have another crack at it when the rivals begin a condensed four-game series in the Bronx on Friday. The Yankees took a 10-game lead in the division and an 11-game lead over the Red Sox into Fenway Park before losing three of four while giving up an alarming 44 runs.
Chi. White Sox at Philadelphia 7:05 PM ET
The Philadelphia Phillies have won eight of their last 12 contests to elevate themselves into a share of the top wild-card spot in the National League. The Phillies aim to continue their ascent on Friday when they send recent trade acquisition Jason Vargas to the mound to face the visiting Chicago White Sox in the opener of a three-game series.
NY Mets at Pittsburgh 7:05 PM ET
The New York Mets are the hottest team in baseball and have a chance to continue their momentum when they square off against the team mired in the worst slump in the majors. Winners of a season-high seven in a row, the Mets will continue their six-game road trip with the first of three against the reeling Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
Toronto at Baltimore 7:05 PM ET
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in the first season of what figures to be a long major-league career, but he will be hard-pressed to replicate the production he's enjoyed over the last week at any point. The 20-year-old slugger attempts to power his team to a season-best fifth straight victory Friday when the Toronto Blue Jays visit the Baltimore Orioles for the second contest of their four-game set.
LA Angels at Cleveland 7:10 PM ET
The Cleveland Indians look to get back in the groove again after losing three of their last four contests when they host the fading Los Angeles Angels on Friday night to open a three-game series. The Indians managed just six hits - one each from Franmil Reyes and Yasiel Puig in their debut with the team - in a 7-1 loss to Houston on Thursday to miss a chance to trim their three-game deficit in the American League Central.
Cincinnati at Atlanta 7:20 PM ET
The Atlanta Braves bolstered their bullpen at the trade deadline, but they enter their home game Friday against the Cincinnati Reds off a strong performance from their starting rotation. Max Fried pitched six innings in a rain-shortened 4-1 victory Thursday that pushed the Braves lead in the National League East to seven games over Philadelphia and Washington, thanks to the 25-year-old southpaw allowing just four hits and one run with no walks and four strikeouts.
Detroit at Texas 8:05 PM ET
The Detroit Tigers were expected to be sellers at Wednesday's trade deadline and did not disappoint, sending away their leading hitter and closer as the rebuild accelerated. The Texas Rangers, who host the Tigers in the opener of a three-game series Friday, are fading out of the wild card race but avoided a full sell off while tinkering around the edges of the roster.
Seattle at Houston 8:10 PM ET
The Houston Astros on Thursday recorded seven of their 11 hits for extra bases as they improved to 7-0-2 in their last nine series. The Astros, who became the first American League team to 70 wins, attempt to take a step toward extending that streak when they host the Seattle Mariners on Friday for the opener of their three-game set.
Kansas City at Minnesota 8:10 PM ET
The Minnesota Twins were on the verge of recording a series sweep before recent trade acquisition Sam Dyson was unable to hold a three-run lead in the ninth inning of their last outing. After tumbling to a 12th-inning loss, the Twins hope to regain their footing on Friday when they begin a 10-game homestand with the opener of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals.
San Francisco at Colorado 8:40 PM ET
The San Francisco Giants charged into contention in the National League wild-card race by posting a 19-6 record in July, the best record in the majors for the month. The turn of the calendar began with a thud for San Francisco, which heads into the final leg of a nine-game road trip with the first of three at the Colorado Rockies on Friday night.
Washington at Arizona 9:40 PM ET
The Washington Nationals and the Arizona Diamondbacks were two of the most active teams in front of the trade deadline Wednesday afternoon, with each going in a different direction. The Diamondbacks will begin life without ace Zack Greinke when they host the Nationals in the opener of a three-game series Friday.
San Diego at LA Dodgers 10:10 PM ET
Top pitching prospect Dustin May is set to make his major league debut Friday as the Los Angeles Dodgers continue their four-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres. The 21-year-old joins a Dodgers team that moved a season-high 33 games over .500 with Thursday’s 8-2 victory.