Preview Roundups
September 23, 2014
Baltimore at NY Yankees 7:05 PM ET
Derek Jeter sure hasn't been shy about providing additional memories as his final season winds to a close. The future Hall of Famer looks to stoke the fire of the New York Yankees' flickering postseason aspirations as they host the Baltimore Orioles in the second contest of the four-game series on Tuesday. Jeter, who drove in three runs in Monday's 5-0 triumph, is 10-for-24 with one homer, six RBIs and four runs scored during his six-game hitting streak.
Kansas City at Cleveland 7:05 PM ET
The Kansas City Royals are looking safe to secure at least a berth in the wild-card race, but are once again turning their sights to the American League Central crown. The Royals will try to keep the pressure on the Detroit Tigers when they visit the Cleveland Indians for the second of a three-game series on Tuesday. Kansas City is one game behind the Tigers in the Central while sitting two games up on the Seattle Mariners for the second AL wild card.
NY Mets at Washington 7:05 PM ET
With the playoffs on the horizon, the Washington Nationals are hitting their stride at the perfect time. The Nationals seek their ninth win in 10 games Tuesday when they open a three-game home series with the New York Mets. Washington, which leads the Los Angeles Dodgers by three games in the race for the National League's best record, has not allowed more than three runs in any of its last nine contests.
Seattle at Toronto 7:07 PM ET
In great need of a win to end an ill-timed funk, the Seattle Mariners turn to ace Felix Hernandez in the continuation of a four-game series at Toronto on Tuesday. The Mariners have allowed 32 runs in a three-game losing streak that has left them 1 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot with six to play. James Paxton was the latest Seattle hurler to get knocked around, giving up eight earned runs in 2 2/3 innings of Monday's 14-4 setback in the series opener.
Chi. White Sox at Detroit 7:08 PM ET
The Detroit Tigers' blockbuster deal to acquire David Price for the stretch run has yet to pay major dividends, but his start against the visiting Chicago White Sox on Tuesday would be a prime time to cash in. The Tigers send the ace left-hander to the mound to protect their one-game lead over Kansas City in the American League Central. The White Sox hope to continue the role of spoiler after a 2-0 win in the series opener.
Tampa Bay at Boston 7:10 PM ET
When the 2014 schedule was released, a late-September series between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays looked like a potential battle for supremacy in the American League East. Instead, the two teams at the bottom of the division will be squaring off when the Red Sox host the Rays on Tuesday. Boston, the defending World Series champion, is 68-88 and sits seven games behind fourth-place Tampa Bay as the two play out the string.
Pittsburgh at Atlanta 7:10 PM ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates have every reason to focus on this week, while the Atlanta Braves already are looking toward 2015. The Pirates play the second of a four-game set at Atlanta on Tuesday with a magic number of two to clinch their second straight postseason appearance and are 2 1/2 games behind first-place St. Louis in the National League Central after a 1-0 victory Monday.
Milwaukee at Cincinnati 7:10 PM ET
The Milwaukee Brewers take their flickering playoff hopes into Cincinnati for a three-game series beginning Tuesday against the Reds. Milwaukee trails San Francisco and Pittsburgh by five games in the National League wild-card race, so the Brewers must win their final six contests and need the Giants and/or Pirates to lose five of six to force a one-game playoff. "It looks bad, but as (long) as you have a chance, you still continue to fight for it," Milwaukee's Carlos Gomez told reporters.
Philadelphia at Miami 7:10 PM ET
The Philadelphia Phillies still have some fight left going into the final week of the regular season and will try to finish up their road trip strong when they open a three-game series at the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. The Phillies dropped two of three in Oakland over the weekend but took the American League contenders down to the wire in all three games. The Marlins are stumbling to the finish with a total of seven runs in four straight losses.
St. Louis at Chi. Cubs 8:05 PM ET
With clinching their fourth consecutive postseason already under their belts, the St. Louis Cardinals are steamrolling their way toward their second straight division title. The Cardinals vie for their ninth win in 11 outings and look to cut into their magic number of four to claim the National League Central title when they continue their three-game series versus the host Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.
Houston at Texas 8:05 PM ET
The Texas Rangers look to stay hot down the stretch as they host the Houston Astros in the second of three straight on Tuesday. Texas still has the worst record in the American League but has rolled to nine wins in its last 10 games, including a 4-3 victory in the series opener Monday night. Rougned Odor's three-run triple was the big hit and Derek Holland remained solid in his return from knee surgery with seven strong innings to spark the Rangers.
Arizona at Minnesota 8:10 PM ET
The Arizona Diamondbacks entered the final week of the season hoping to avoid finishing with the worst record in the majors after three straight years of .500 play or better. The Diamondbacks began that quest with a solid effort and look to build on that when they visit the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday for the second of a three-game interleague series. Mark Trumbo belted a homer and Didi Gregorius had three doubles as Arizona took the opener 6-2 on Monday to snap a six-game losing skid.
LA Angels at Oakland 10:05 PM ET
The Los Angeles Angels own the best record in baseball but are still answering questions about the starting rotation in the last week of the regular season. The Angels hope to get a little length out of the starter when they visit the Oakland Athletics for the second of a three-game series on Tuesday. The Athletics knocked C.J. Wilson out in the first inning of Monday’s 8-4 victory and maintained their lead in the American League wild-card race.
Colorado at San Diego 10:10 PM ET
The San Diego Padres are not in the running for a postseason berth, but they did make a statement with their play at home this season. Winners of five in a row and seven of their last eight, the Padres vie for a series victory on Tuesday when they play the second contest of the three-game set against the visiting Colorado Rockies. Rene Rivera, who ripped an RBI double in Monday's 1-0 triumph, is 7-for-16 in his last four games and has hit safely in eight of his last nine.
San Francisco at LA Dodgers 10:10 PM ET
The San Francisco Giants improved their postseason chances and might have found their next closer in Monday’s 5-2, 13-inning win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the celebration didn’t last long. San Francisco heads into Tuesday’s contest at Dodger Stadium tied with Pittsburgh for the top NL Wild Card spot and 3 1/2 games back of the first-place Dodgers in the National League West with six games to play.