Matchups

Mother Nature is the only thing that has slowed Toronto Blue Jays’ third baseman Josh Donaldson in the past week. The reigning American League player of the week, who topped the majors in runs, homers, RBIs and slugging percentage last week, leads the Blue Jays into Tuesday’s split doubleheader at the Washington Nationals after heavy rains washed out Monday’s scheduled series opener.

Adrian Gonzalez is wearing out the baseball against Colorado this season and looks to continue his success in a day-night doubleheader against the host Rockies on Tuesday. The Los Angeles first baseman went 4-for-4 with a walk on Monday as the Dodgers rolled to an 11-4 victory in the opener of a four-game series.

Mother Nature is the only thing that has slowed Toronto Blue Jays’ third baseman Josh Donaldson in the past week. The reigning American League player of the week, who topped the majors in runs, homers, RBIs and slugging percentage last week, leads the Blue Jays into Tuesday’s split doubleheader at the Washington Nationals after heavy rains washed out Monday’s scheduled series opener.

As trade rumors swirl around Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto, the right-hander is expected to make his return to the mound Tuesday in Philadelphia for the first of three games with the Phillies. Cueto, a free agent after the season, will stay tied to trade talks as long as the Reds remain a non-factor in the National League Central, and if he can prove that the elbow tenderness that caused him to miss a start is not an issue.

The Oakland Athletics, who own the worst record in the American League despite some inspired play lately, happen to be the only thing keeping the Detroit Tigers from their longest losing streak since 2005. The surging Athletics hope to extend the Tigers’ recent woes and avenge a series loss to them at home last week when the teams meet in the opener of a three-game set in Detroit on Tuesday.

The Minnesota Twins had little trouble sweeping past the Boston Red Sox at home last week, part of a 20-win May, and are hoping an extra day of rest following Monday’s rainout doesn’t slow the momentum. The Red Sox needed that day off to try to turn around their own fortunes and attempt to get some payback against the Twins when the teams open up a four-game series at Fenway Park on Tuesday.

The wealth of talent the Chicago Cubs have amassed is beginning to result in a balanced offensive attack. The Cubs hope their lineup can continue to produce when they aim for a second straight road win over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday.

Sunday’s victory was a microcosm of the kind of year the Texas Rangers are having, overcoming the disappointment of a multi-week injury to Adrian Beltre with Josh Hamilton’s surprising game-winning hit in a pinch-hitting role during his second tour of duty with the club. After finishing May with a 19-11 mark, the Rangers look for their 11th victory in the last 13 tries on Tuesday when they host the opener of a three-game set with the Chicago White Sox.

The Houston Astros are winning games in ways that break their opponent’s spirits while thrilling their fans. The Astros will try to keep streaking along when they host the Baltimore Orioles in the second of a four-game series on Tuesday.

The Cleveland Indians look to stay hot on the road and continue their climb in the American League Central when they visit Kansas City on Tuesday for the first of three games. Sunday's 12-inning win in Seattle gave the Indians three victories in four games versus the Mariners and six wins in their last seven road games overall.

The St. Louis Cardinals have been surviving despite a slumping offense of late but had the lack of clutch hits come back to bite them on Monday. The Cardinals will try to string together some crooked numbers and even the series when they host the Milwaukee Brewers in the second of a three-game series on Tuesday.

Adrian Gonzalez is wearing out the baseball against Colorado this season and looks to continue his success in a day-night doubleheader against the host Rockies on Tuesday. The Los Angeles first baseman went 4-for-4 with a walk on Monday as the Dodgers rolled to an 11-4 victory in the opener of a four-game series.

The Atlanta Braves look to continue their offensive surge when they visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday for the second of a three-game series. The Braves have totaled 23 runs during their three-game win streak, including an 8-1 victory over the weary Diamondbacks on Monday as Freddie Freeman recorded a homer and three RBIs.

The Los Angeles Angels are flaunting their power over the last six games and Albert Pujols is leading the way with five of their 14 homers in that span. Pujols and the Angels will be hard-pressed to extend their surge and a season high-matching five-game winning streak when they host right-hander Chris Archer and the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.

The New York Yankees are in sole possession of first place in the American League East and look to add to their lead when they visit the Seattle Mariners in Tuesday's second contest of the three-game set. Mark Teixeira fueled the series-opening 7-2 victory with his ninth career grand slam as New York defeated Seattle ace Felix Hernandez.

The New York Mets have struggled on the road and look to correct those issues during a seven-game road trip. New York got off to a strong start in that quest when it posted a 7-0 rout of the San Diego Padres in Monday's opener of a three-game series.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are doing their best to duplicate the formula perfected by the San Francisco Giants, who relied on stellar starting pitching to win three of the last five World Series championships. The Pirates turn to another of their aces on Tuesday as they continue their three-game set against the host Giants, who have lost three in a row following a five-game winning streak.