Matchups

The Chicago Cubs own the best record in baseball, but still have issues to rectify as they kick off a four-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers with a day-night doubleheader Tuesday. Despite the acquisition of closer Aroldis Chapman, Cubs manager Joe Maddon has concerns over the back end of his bullpen.

The Boston Red Sox will play their third game in three different cities in as many days when they visit the Baltimore Orioles for the opener of a key two-game series on Tuesday. The Red Sox finished up a home sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday afternoon and began an 11-game road trip with their fourth consecutive win in a makeup game at Cleveland on Monday.

Although the New York Yankees were definitive sellers at the trade deadline, they are not playing like a team ready to throw in the white flag. The Yankees will try to keep the heat on one of the American League East front-runners when they continue a three-game series with the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Chase Utley makes his return to Citizens Bank Park for the first time in an opposing uniform as the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series. Utley, a six-star All-Star, spent his first 13 seasons with the Phillies until he was shipped to the Dodgers at last year's trade deadline.

The Cleveland Indians will welcome the third of four opponents on their season-high 11-game homestand when they host the Chicago White Sox in the first of three games beginning Tuesday night. After sweeping four straight from the Los Angeles Angels to begin the homestand, the Indians were stymied in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox in a make-up game Monday.

The Detroit Tigers are trying to stay in two races in the American League and are not doing themselves any favors by losing to teams that are not involved in the battle. The Tigers will try to bounce back and even the series when they host the Kansas City Royals in the second of a three-game series on Tuesday.

There are no playoff aspirations for the Minnesota Twins or Atlanta Braves this season, but two of baseball’s worst teams open a two-game series Tuesday looking to continue their improved play the past six weeks. Visiting Minnesota is 22-17 since July 2 despite losing five of its past six, while the Braves are 16-17 in their past 33 contests dating back to July 7 after wrapping up a 5-5 road trip.

The Tampa Bay Rays look to stay hot with the bats when they host the San Diego Padres in the middle contest of their three-game interleague set on Tuesday. The Rays, mired in last place in the American League East, recorded a total of 20 runs while winning their last two games, including Monday’s 8-2 triumph in the series opener.

Life after Giancarlo Stanton has been good to the Miami Marlins so far, with back-to-back wins moving them back into a tie for the second National League wild card. The Marlins will try to make it three in a row without their star slugger when they visit the Cincinnati Reds in the second of a four-game series on Tuesday.

The Texas Rangers became the first American League team to reach 70 victories, but the latest win came with a discouraging development. Right fielder Shin-Soo Choo might be finished for the season after fracturing his left forearm, and Texas will try to regroup when it hosts the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday.

The Chicago Cubs own the best record in baseball, but still have issues to rectify as they kick off a four-game series against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers with a day-night doubleheader Tuesday. Despite the acquisition of closer Aroldis Chapman, Cubs manager Joe Maddon has concerns over the back end of his bullpen.

The St. Louis Cardinals regained some of their mojo by salvaging a series split against baseball's best team and look to carry the momentum into a two-game interleague series at the Houston Astros beginning Tuesday night. St. Louis is coming off a pair of dramatic wins at the Chicago Cubs, rallying for six runs in the eighth inning Saturday and five runs in the eighth the following day.

The National League East-leading Washington Nationals seek their fourth consecutive victory as they continue their nine-game road trip Tuesday with the second of three contests against the Colorado Rockies. Washington kicked off its trek with a 5-4 triumph in the series opener as Bryce Harper completed the team's comeback from a 4-2 deficit with an RBI double in the seventh inning.

The New York Mets keep trying to make up ground in the National League wild-card race and the Arizona Diamondbacks keep handing them defeats. Arizona has knocked off New York four times in the last seven days and looks for another victory on Tuesday, when it hosts the Mets in the second contest of their three-game series.

The Seattle Mariners haven't been part of the postseason since 2001 and look to continue their playoff push when they visit the struggling Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday in the second contest of a four-game set. Seattle has won 11 of its past 13 games to move within two games of the Boston Red Sox for the American League's second wild-card spot.

The Pittsburgh Pirates aim for their fifth win in six outings as they continue their six-game road trip with the middle contest of their three-game set against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. Pittsburgh posted an 8-5 victory in the series opener to remain one game behind Miami and St. Louis for the second wild-card spot in the National League.