Preview Roundups
August 20, 2018
Atlanta at Pittsburgh 7:05 PM ET
The Atlanta Braves must lick their wounds after a frustrating weekend and go back to work as they open a seven-game road trip with the first of three contests against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night. The Braves were swept in four games at home by red-hot Colorado, including a 4-2 setback on Sunday, but managed to keep a one-half game lead on second-place Philadelphia in the National League East.
Baltimore at Toronto 7:07 PM ET
The Toronto Blue Jays are losers of four contests in a row and are coming off a road trip that exposed their pitching staff. The Blue Jays will try to get things back on track at the expense of the only team behind them in the American League East when they host the Baltimore Orioles on Monday for the opener of their three-game series.
Cleveland at Boston 7:10 PM ET
The Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians both are enjoying large leads in their respective divisions and are ready to test themselves against each other. The division leaders will meet for the first time in 2018 when the Indians visit the Red Sox on Monday for the opener of their four-game series.
Kansas City at Tampa Bay 7:10 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays were able to land some punches against a pair of heavyweights in the American League to salvage a 5-4 mark on their just-completed nine-game road trip. After shutting out the team with the best record in the majors, the Rays (63-61) aim to knock around a club with one of the worst on Monday when they begin a seven-game homestand with the first of four contests versus the Kansas City Royals (38-86).
San Francisco at NY Mets 7:10 PM ET
The San Francisco Giants attempt to halt their four-game losing streak and remain relevant in the National League playoff picture when they visit the New York Mets on Monday for the opener of their four-game series. San Francisco began its 10-game road trip with back-to-back wins over the Los Angeles Dodgers, but dropped the series finale before getting swept in three straight contests at Cincinnati.
Chi. White Sox at Minnesota 7:10 PM ET
The Minnesota Twins have enjoyed success against their American League Central adversaries to keep the club within earshot of .500 this season. Winners of five of their last six overall, the Twins (59-64) aim to inch closer to evening their record on Monday when they host the Chicago White Sox (46-77) in a rescheduled tilt of a snowed out contest on April 15.
Cincinnati at Milwaukee 8:10 PM ET
The Milwaukee Brewers were watching their postseason hopes slip away before they managed to pull out a win on Sunday, avoiding a sweep and pushing them back into second place in the National League Central. The Brewers will try to build off that triumph when they host the Cincinnati Reds on Monday for the opener of their three-game series.
Texas at Oakland 10:05 PM ET
The Oakland Athletics were unable to take over first place in the American League West but get a chance to rebound against a team they dominated in a recent encounter when they open a three-game series with the visiting Texas Rangers on Monday. The Athletics outscored the Rangers 41-24 in winning four straight in Texas less than a month ago, part of a 40-13 run that vaulted Oakland into a first-place tie with the Houston Astros going into Sunday.
St. Louis at LA Dodgers 10:10 PM ET
Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger look to extend long hitting streaks when the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a six-game homestand with the first of three contests against the hard-charging St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. Turner has hit safely in 13 straight contests for the Dodgers after going 4-for-5 with five RBIs in Sunday’s 12-1 win over Seattle and Bellinger owns a 12-game streak following a three-hit effort.
Houston at Seattle 10:10 PM ET
The Houston Astros have regained first place in the American League West and can try to separate themselves from one of their primary competitors when they begin a three-game series at the Seattle Mariners on Monday. Alex Bregman and Evan Gattis both hit their 24th home runs and Justin Verlander picked up career win No. 200 as the Astros won 9-4 at second-place Oakland on Sunday.