Matchups

The Oakland Athletics have matched their season-best winning streak of four games as they enter a doubleheader with the host Chicago White Sox on Friday. While Oakland is enjoying a good run, the White Sox have equaled their longest slide of the campaign with seven straight losses entering the four-game series.

Odubel Herrera and the Philadelphia Phillies look to continue their hot streaks when they visit the Washington Nationals for the opener of a three-game series Friday night in a battle for second place in the National League East. Herrera boasts multiple hits in five of his last seven games and has homered in four straight for the Phillies, who have won four of their last five contests.

Outfielder Jon Jay has proved to be a valuable pickup and looks to continue his latest hot streak when the Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night for the second of a four-game set. Jay, who was acquired from Kansas City on June 6, had a pair of hits along with two RBIs in Thursday’s 9-3 victory while improving to 17-for-38 in his last nine games after going hitless in his first 12 at-bats with Arizona.

Until their recent surge, the Cincinnati Reds had the worst record in the National League, but now they’re one of the league’s hottest teams. The Reds aim for a fifth straight victory when they host the Chicago Cubs for the second of a four-game series Friday.

The Cleveland Indians have seen their offense kick it up a notch during their four-game winning streak, highlighted by a 12-run eruption in their last contest. The Indians (40-33) aim to continue their good fortune on Friday when they open a three-game series versus the visiting Detroit Tigers (36-39), who have dropped seven straight in Cleveland.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will attempt to bounce back from their first series loss in over a month when they wrap up a six-game road trip with the first of three against the New York Mets on Friday night. The Dodgers put together an unbeaten streak of nine consecutive series before dropping two of three games at the Chicago Cubs.

The New York Yankees moved in front of the Boston Red Sox in the American League East this week by pulling off a dramatic three-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners and are showing no sign that they have any interest in slipping back to the pack. The Yankees will try to record their 18th win in 22 contests and fifth straight when they kick off a six-game road trip by visiting the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday.

The Boston Red Sox struggled to score runs for most of their road trip but come home on a high note after breaking out with the bats and avoiding a sweep at Minnesota on Thursday. The Red Sox will try to keep that momentum going at home when they host the Seattle Mariners in the opener of a three-game series on Friday.

The Oakland Athletics have matched their season-best winning streak of four games as they enter a doubleheader with the host Chicago White Sox on Friday. While Oakland is enjoying a good run, the White Sox have equaled their longest slide of the campaign with seven straight losses entering the four-game series.

The Baltimore Orioles arrive in the Peach State for a three-game interleague series against the Atlanta Braves on Friday, a matchup of two teams on the opposite ends of the baseball spectrum. Baltimore comes to town owning baseball’s worst record at 21-52 and begins the set 29 ½ games out of first place in the American League East, while the Braves – baseball’s biggest surprise so far in 2018 – leads the National League East by three games as they have won six of their last eight.

The Houston Astros' loud bats played a significant role in the club recording a decisive sweep of the Kansas City Royals last weekend. Victorious in 13 of their last 14 contests to reach the 50-win plateau, the Astros (50-26) look to continue their torrid stretch on Friday when they begin a three-game series against the visiting Royals (22-52).

The Milwaukee Brewers have cranked up the bats over the past two weeks and look to post another strong offensive performance when they host the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. The Brewers rolled to a 11-3 win in the opener of a four-game series and have scored nine or more runs in five of their last 12 contests.

The Minnesota Twins are looking more like the team that earned a wild card berth last season after back-to-back series wins over Cleveland and Boston, and the team believes it can be better. The Twins will try to keep rolling when they host the Texas Rangers on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.

Red-hot Nolan Arenado should be well rested as the Colorado Rockies prepare to host the Miami Marlins on Friday night in the opener of a three-game series. Colorado is on a three-game winning streak thanks to the torrid bat of Arenado, who had been slumping before he homered in each of the victories while collecting nine RBIs and scoring five runs.

Mike Trout was unable to play in the field in his 1,000th career game and again will serve as the designated hitter when the Los Angeles Angels host the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday for the second contest of their four-game series. Trout is nursing a sprained right index finger that affects his throwing, and the injury will prohibit him from playing center field for a "few days," according to the Angels.

Two National League West rivals who are streaking in opposite directions square off Friday, when the San Francisco Giants host the San Diego Padres for the second contest of their four-game series. After losing the opener of its 10-game homestand, San Francisco has posted three straight victories - including a 3-0 triumph in the first game of the set on Thursday.