Must-See MLB Series This Week: Rivalries, Debuts, and Star Power
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As the MLB season hits its halfway mark, with every team slated to play its 81st game this week, fans are in for a treat. This week promises exciting matchups,including clashes between division leaders and rekindled rivalries steeped in baseball history.
Here’s a look at five series that should be on every baseball fan’s radar this week:
Cubs vs. Cardinals
Four games (Monday-Thursday)
Head to head: With a rivalry spanning over 130 years,the Cubs and Cardinals will meet for the first time this season. Last year, St. Louis edged out Chicago in the season series, 7-6.
Storyline: The rivalry intensifies when both teams are competitive, which is the current state of affairs. The Cardinals have bounced back from a slump,winning six of their last eight games to close the gap on the first-place Cubs to 4 1/2 games. St. Louis’ offense has been firing on all cylinders, averaging six runs per game, with significant contributions from players like Nolan Arenado, Alec Burleson, and former Cub Willson Contreras.
The Cubs’ offense has been equally notable, ranking second in MLB with 417 runs scored, trailing only the Dodgers (442).Chicago boasts six players with double-digit home runs, a feat unmatched by any other National League team. One of those sluggers has 21 homers.
Braves vs. Mets
Four games (Monday-Thursday)
Head to head: The Braves dominated their previous encounter, sweeping the mets in three games and outscoring them 17-5. Atlanta has won seven of the last eight games between the two teams.
Watch out for: Ronald Acuña Jr. and Juan Soto. Both players have the ability to single-handedly carry their teams. Acuña has been outstanding since returning from injury, posting a .396/.504/.698 slash line as May 23. Soto, after a slow start, has found his groove, recording a 1.211 OPS with eight home runs in his last 22 games.
Yankees vs. Reds
Three games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head to head: The road team has won the last seven games in this series. The Reds swept the Yankees at Yankee Stadium last July, a year after the Yankees swept the Reds at Great American Ball Park in may 2023.
Storyline: Despite a recent six-game losing streak, the Yankees remain atop the AL East, although their lead has shrunk to 2 1/2 games. The Yankees’ struggles have coincided with Aaron Judge‘s first slump of the season.Even with his current 7-for-37 stretch, Judge is still hitting.367 with a 1.195 OPS. Every Judge at-bat is a must-see, especially in Cincinnati’s hitter-friendly ballpark. Judge is 6-for-14 at GABP, including a 431-foot homer in 2023.
The Reds, currently in fourth place in the NL Central, are led by ELLY DE LA CRUZ, who is having another strong season with 17 home runs, 21 steals, and a 123 wRC+.
Watch out for: The MLB debut of Reds top prospect Chase Burns. The No. 11 prospect in baseball and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft,Burns will debut on Tuesday. The right-hander has been dominant in the Minors,posting a 1.77 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 66 innings. Burns will be the fifth player from last year’s draft class to reach the Majors and the second pitcher, joining the Angels’ ryan Johnson.
Phillies vs. Astros
Three games (Tuesday-thursday)
Head to head: This series is a rematch of the 2022 World Series, which the Astros won in six games. The Phillies have won four of the six games since, including two of three at Citizens Bank Park in 2024.
Storyline: Both first-place teams are entering this series on a hot streak. The Phillies have outscored their opponents 64-35 while winning nine of their last 11 games to overtake the Mets in the NL east. Phillies starters have a 2.06 ERA during this stretch. The Astros have MLB’s best record this month (14-6) thanks to a 2.96 team ERA.
Watch out for: Cristopher Sánchez versus Hunter Brown. This series should be defined by pitching. Sánchez has allowed only six earned runs in 28 innings this month, and moast recently allowed one run over eight frames against Miami. Brown’s 1.88 ERA leads the American League, and his 23.5% strikeout-minus-walk rate ranks sixth in MLB.
Dodgers vs. Royals
Three games (Friday-Sunday)
Head to head: As 2022,these teams have split their six games at Kauffman Stadium. The Dodgers won a three-game set against the Royals at dodger Stadium last year. Shohei Ohtani crushed two homers in the finale.
Storyline: the presence of Ohtani and Bobby Witt Jr. on the same field creates the potential for something special. The addition of jac Caglianone adds another layer of intrigue. Caglianone has already hit his first two MLB home runs and robbed a home run.
Watch out for: Ohtani’s next start on the mound. Ohtani was sharper in his second start of the season Sunday. Assuming the Dodgers keep him on his current schedule, two-way Ohtani should be in full force at some point during this weekend set.
