Preview Roundups
August 18, 2015
NY Mets at Baltimore 7:05 PM ET
Jacob deGrom goes for his team-high 11th victory as the New York Mets kick off a nine-game road trip on Tuesday night with the first of two interleague contests against the Baltimore Orioles. The Mets, who hold a 4 1/2-game lead over Washington atop the National League East, will be trying to rebound after getting swept at home in a three-game series versus Pittsburgh.
Minnesota at NY Yankees 7:05 PM ET
Brian McCann and Jacoby Ellsbury are swinging blistering-hot bats as the New York Yankees added to their lead in the American League East by winning four of their last five games. After McCann recorded five RBIs and the pair combined for five hits in an 8-7 win in 10 innings in the opener, the Yankees vie for a series victory when they continue their three-game set against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.
Toronto at Philadelphia 7:05 PM ET
The Toronto Blue Jays spent the weekend in a direct battle with their closest competition for the American League East title and came out on the short end. The Blue Jays will try to keep the intensity up when they take a step down in competition by visiting the basement-dwelling Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a two-game interleague set on Tuesday.
Arizona at Pittsburgh 7:05 PM ET
The Arizona Diamondbacks are making a late surge to remain within shouting distance of both the National League West title and second wild-card spots. The visiting Diamondbacks vie for their 15th win in 23 outings on Tuesday when they play the second contest of their three-game series versus the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Cleveland at Boston 7:10 PM ET
The same Boston offense that was in such fine form for the first three games of manager John Farrell’s absence was nowhere to be found when former Red Sox manager Terry Francona brought his Cleveland Indians to town. Boston will try to return to its high-scoring ways on Tuesday when the Red Sox continue their three-game home set against the Indians in a battle of two of the American League’s three last-place teams.
Kansas City at Cincinnati 7:10 PM ET
The Cincinnati Reds helped provide the Kansas City Royals with a big boost in their effort to get back to the World Series when they completed a trade sending Johnny Cueto to the Royals last month. Kansas City won’t send their new ace to the mound in his former home this week but will try to take advantage of the Reds’ recent rough stretch when the teams meet in Cincinnati for a two-game interleague series beginning Tuesday.
Detroit at Chi. Cubs 8:05 PM ET
After running into a buzzsaw, the Chicago Cubs look to get their offense back on track when they host the Detroit Tigers for a two-game interleague series starting Tuesday. The Cubs had a season-best nine-game winning streak snapped with a 3-1 loss to the crosstown-rival White Sox and ace Chris Sale on Sunday but have won 15 of their last 17.
Seattle at Texas 8:05 PM ET
Hisashi Iwakuma returns to the mound for the first time since tossing a no-hitter as the visiting Seattle Mariners look to even their three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday. The 34-year-old native of Japan earned American League Player of the Week honors after striking out seven in a 3-0 win over Baltimore on Wednesday.
Tampa Bay at Houston 8:10 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays look to stay hot at the plate when they visit the American League West-leading Houston Astros on Tuesday for the second contest of their four-game set. The Rays, who batted a paltry .227 in July, are hitting .307 this month and averaging 5.3 runs over their last 18 games after recording 15 hits in Monday’s 9-2 series-opening victory.
Miami at Milwaukee 8:10 PM ET
The Miami Marlins look to put together their first three-game winning streak on the road in nearly a month when they visit the Milwaukee Brewers for the middle contest of their three-game series on Tuesday. Miami, which hasn't captured three straight away from home since July 21-23, salvaged the finale of its three-game set at St. Louis on Sunday before posting a 6-2 triumph in Monday's opener.
San Francisco at St. Louis 8:15 PM ET
The St. Louis Cardinals own the best record in the majors and can clinch their sixth consecutive series win with a victory over the visiting San Francisco Giants on Tuesday in the second contest of their three-game set. The Cardinals squeezed out a 2-1 win on Monday to improve to 45-18 at home and extend their lead over second-place Pittsburgh in the National League Central to six games.
Washington at Colorado 8:40 PM ET
The Washington Nationals are trending in the wrong direction and need a win just to get back to .500. The Nationals will try to snap a six-game slide and get back in the race in the National League East when they visit the Colorado Rockies for the start of a three-game series on Tuesday.