MLB’s inaugural Rivalry Weekend is over, but there is no shortage of compelling series this week.
Whether it’s a showdown between two NL behemoths, two of baseball’s hottest teams facing off or a series that could welcome back one of baseball’s biggest stars, there are plenty of intriguing matchups to come.
Here are five series that you should tune into this week.
Tigers at Cardinals
3 games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head to head: It’s been over a year since these two clubs matched up, when the Tigers took two of three games against the Cardinals in St. Louis from April 30 to May 1. Plenty has changed since then, as the Tigers have been one of baseball’s top teams since last August and the Cardinals recently reeled off a nine-game winning streak and are in the thick of the playoff conversation.
Storyline: Both teams are playing remarkably well in May, with the Tigers and Cardinals entering the series tied for the most wins (12) this month. In the case of the Tigers, they’ve been baseball’s best team this season with a 31-16 record, and have the best record (65-35) dating back to the beginning of last August.
Watch out for: Tarik Skubal certainly has a strong case as the best pitcher in baseball and has once again been dominant this year (2.67 ERA and 2.0 FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement). He’ll toe the rubber on Tuesday against a Cardinals lineup that has been a top 10 unit by runs (224), wRC+ (108), OPS (.738) and strikeout rate (19.9 percent).
Rangers at Yankees
3 games (Tuesday-Thursday)
Head to head: You couldn’t have drawn up a more even season series last season, as the two clubs split their six games, with the Yankees outscoring the Rangers 38 to 37.
Storyline: Rangers starters enter the series with the lowest ERA in the Majors (2.83) and are third with 5.2 WAR. They’ll do their best to contain a Yankees’ offense that ranks in the top three in runs (266), home runs (79), OPS (.828) and wRC+ (132). The Rangers will throw their top two starters in the final two games, with Jacob deGrom going Tuesday and Nathan Eovaldi on Wednesday.
Watch out for: How about an Aaron Judge and deGrom matchup on Tuesday? Judge is unquestionably the top hitter in baseball right now, coming into the series with a video game-like .401/.490/.751 line with 15 home runs and 4.1 WAR. deGrom, meanwhile, is healthy and pitching like an ace again, boasting a 2.29 ERA and 2.85 expected ERA. The Rangers’ right-hander is coming off a dominant start of eight scoreless innings against the Astros.
Padres at Braves
3 games (Friday-Sunday)
Head to head: These two clubs faced off in the season’s opening series in San Diego, with the Padres sweeping the four-game set in what would be the beginning of seven straight losses to begin the season for the Braves.
Watch out for: Ronald Acuña Jr.‘s return is imminent. That could potentially come sometime this week and possibly even during this series. Recovering from a torn left ACL, the dynamic Acuña has been out since suffering his injury on May 26, 2024. Just as the Braves have gotten hot to turn their season around, they’re welcoming back Strider this week and potentially Acuña.
Royals at Twins
3 games (Friday-Sunday)
Head to head: The Royals took three of four games in Kansas City from April 7 to 10, but it was a close one, with both teams scoring nine runs in the series. These two clubs are also in a much different position after slow starts and recent hot stretches that have vaulted them into the playoff conversation.
Storyline: The Twins have been baseball’s best team in May with a 13-3 record. After seemingly putting themselves in a hole, Minnesota ripped off 13 straight wins, the longest win streak of the season and the second-longest streak in franchise history. Their streak was snapped in Sunday’s 5-2 loss against the Brewers, but the Twins have put themselves right back in the playoff mix.
Watch out for: Can Royals starters keep up their torrid pace? After finishing second in both ERA (3.55) and FanGraphs Wins Above Replacement (16.7) last year, Kansas City’s starters have been even better this year with the second-highest WAR (5.9) and third-lowest ERA (3.00). While Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo were both placed on the injured list over the weekend, the Royals are still projected to throw rookie Noah Cameron (one run in 12 2/3 innings), Michael Wacha (2.86 ERA and 1.5 WAR) and Kris Bubic (1.66 ERA and 1.6 WAR) in the series.
Dodgers at Mets
3 games (Friday-Sunday)
Head to head: The Dodgers handily won the regular-season series, taking four of six games while outscoring the Mets 36 to 20. And, of course, the Dodgers beat the Mets in six games in the NLCS on their way to a World Series title.
Storyline: There are endless storylines in this matchup, but a rematch of last year’s NLCS and a battle between the top two teams in the National League is a strong one. The Dodgers and Mets both enter the series with a 29-18 record, tied for the second-best record in baseball behind the Tigers. This is the good stuff, folks. Buckle up.
Watch out for: Speaking of the good stuff, the sheer individual starpower in this series is almost hard to fathom. Shohei Ohtani , Freddie Freeman, Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso could very well end up finding themselves as NL MVP candidates by the end of the season. If you’re looking for the best teams that offer the most star talent, this is likely your best matchup.
