Matchups

With their offense laboring to produce in the clutch, the skidding New York Yankees will be looking for a big effort from ace Masahiro Tanaka on Sunday in the finale of a three-game series against the visiting Seattle Mariners. The Yankees saw their losing streak reach four games with Saturday's 3-2 setback to the Mariners.

The Tampa Bay Rays look to build off their best offensive performance of the season when they host the Chicago White Sox on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game set. The Rays posted a season high in runs in Saturday’s 7-2 victory after managing just one in the previous three contests and shortstop Brad Miller enjoyed his best day with his new team, recording a homer and three RBIs.

Mike Napoli could prove to be a smart free-agent signing for the Cleveland Indians if the first few weeks of the season are any indication. Napoli has knocked in six runs overall – three the last two days -- and can extend his hitting streak to nine games when the Indians host the New York Mets on Sunday in the rubber match of the three-game series.

After nine consecutive losses to begin the season, the Atlanta Braves find themselves riding a winning streak entering Sunday’s series finale at the Miami Marlins. Back-to-back victories over the Marlins have given Atlanta a much-needed dose of optimism after a dreadful beginning to 2016, with the stretch coinciding with right fielder Nick Markakis continuing his strong start to the season.

Two games into the Christian Vazquez era and the Boston Red Sox pitching staff looks completely different. Vazquez will try to guide the staff to a third straight strong outing when the Red Sox host the Toronto Blue Jays in the third of a four-game series on Sunday.

The long ball hasn't been an important ingredient in the recent offensive success of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but preventing their opponents from hitting home runs has. The Pirates took a small step toward achieving more balance in that department last time out and eye their second straight victory following a four-game skid when they face the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday in the rubber match of their three-game series.

Over the last three decades, Barry Bonds and Albert Pujols are the only players to win back-to-back National League MVP awards. Bryce Harper is off to a strong start in his bid for a second straight MVP and looks to wrap up his weekend in style when the Washington Nationals visit the Philadelphia Phillies in a Sunday matinee.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia is making the most of his hits while seeing time in place of injured catcher James McCann in the Detroit Tigers' lineup. After his second homer in three contests completed a rally, Saltalamacchia looks to send the Tigers to their fifth win in six contests when they play the rubber match of their three-game series with the host Houston Astros on Sunday.

Trevor Plouffe got off to a rough start like many of his teammates during his team's 0-9 start, but his resurgence and a pair of comeback victories have the Minnesota Twins feeling a bit better about themselves. With their first series win of the season already in hand, the Twins look to complete a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels at home Sunday.

The visiting Cincinnati Reds haven't been able to cool off the offense of the St. Louis Cardinals, but they will have a chance for a series victory in Sunday's rubber match of the three-game set between the National League Central Division rivals. The Reds snapped a four-game losing streak by erasing a four-run deficit in Saturday's 9-8 victory.

In a matchup between two of the league’s highest-scoring offenses, strong starting pitching has been the key to the first two games of the Chicago Cubs’ set against the visiting Colorado Rockies. If that trend holds, the Cubs hope star left-hander Jon Lester will give them the upper hand in Sunday’s series finale.

The Texas Rangers have benefited from the big inning on two occasions and have been done in by it on another heading into Sunday's series finale against the visiting Baltimore Orioles. After erupting for a five-run sixth on Thursday, Texas bounced back from a four-homer, nine-run seventh the following night by igniting a sixth-run frame in an 8-4 victory on Saturday.

The Oakland Athletics look to end their homestand with a winning streak when they host the Kansas City Royals on Sunday in the rubber match of their three-game series. Oakland began its six-game stretch at home with four straight losses before posting a 5-3 victory on Saturday for its second win at Oakland Coliseum this season (2-7).

The San Diego Padres boast a starting rotation capable of making noise in the National League West, and perhaps a crack of the bat provided by Melvin Upton Jr. was a spark the offense needed as they host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday in the rubber match of their three-game series. San Diego's starting pitchers boast a 1.97 ERA in the last five games, but Saturday's 5-3 victory in 14 innings snapped a four-game losing streak and gave the Padres their first win in five tries at Petco Park.

The San Francisco Giants signed three significant free agents during the offseason, and so far each has contributed to the team’s 7-5 start. Pitcher Jeff Samardzija, who signed a five-year, $90 million contract in December, takes the mound Sunday as the Giants visit the Los Angeles Dodgers in the rubber match of the three-game series.