Matchups

The Los Angeles Dodgers can move a step closer to their third straight division title on Thursday when ace Clayton Kershaw takes the mound against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dodgers snapped a four-game skid with Wednesday’s 4-1 victory and lead the National League West by seven games over the San Francisco with 11 to play.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have checked one major item off their list, but other goals remain in sight. After clinching a playoff spot for the third straight season, the Pirates continue their pursuit of the National League Central crown when they go for a four-game sweep against the Rockies in Colorado on Thursday.

The Texas Rangers look to complete a three-game sweep when they visit the American League West-rival Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon for the finale of their series. Texas also is hoping to increase its division lead over second-place Houston, which fell three games back thanks to a loss to the Los Angeles Angels and the Rangers' 10-3 triumph Wednesday.

The Washington Nationals showed signs of life last week, but the pulse of their playoff hopes is faint heading into the finale of a three-game series with the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Thursday. The Orioles eked out a 4-3 victory Wednesday and have handed the Nationals consecutive losses after Washington had won seven of eight to regain a glimmer of hope in the National League East race.

After dropping two of three in a battle of the elite in the American League East, the New York Yankees look to dust themselves off on Thursday when they open a four-game series versus the visiting Chicago White Sox. New York (83-68) dropped a 4-0 decision to Toronto (87-65) on Wednesday to fall 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Blue Jays with 11 contests remaining on the schedule.

A miserable September pretty much robbed the Tampa Bay Rays of any chance to qualify for the postseason and recently had them on the verge of their first last-place finish in the American League East since 2007. Since spending a day in the division basement earlier this week, the Rays have won two straight to keep their faint playoff hopes alive as they attempt to take the season series from the Boston Red Sox when the teams wrap up their four-game set on Thursday in Boston.

With six losses in their last eight contests, the New York Mets hardly have the look of a team on the verge of its first National League East title since 2006. The Mets vie to inch closer to that goal on Thursday, when they begin a seven-game road trip with the opener of a four-game series versus the Cincinnati Reds.

Dee Gordon is running out of games in his bid to win a National League batting title, but he still can add a few highlights down the stretch for the Miami Marlins. Gordon's walk-off double in the 11th inning halted a four-game losing streak for Miami, which goes for a series victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday in the rubber match of a three-game set.

After having their way with one struggling National League Central rival, the St. Louis Cardinals look to administer a sound thrashing to another when they open a four-game series versus the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. Matt Carpenter, who belted a pair of two-run blasts in St. Louis' 10-2 rout of Cincinnati on Wednesday, is 14-for-31 (.452) with five homers, nine runs scored and eight RBIs in his last eight contests.

The Minnesota Twins attempt to inch closer to a wild card and complete a sweep when they host the American League Central-rival Cleveland Indians on Thursday in the finale of their three-game series. Minnesota pulled within one game of Houston for the second AL wild-card spot by defeating Cleveland 4-2 on Wednesday for its third straight victory.

The Kansas City Royals made a bold trade for Johnny Cueto with the hopes he would be the missing piece of the puzzle in their bid for a return trip to the World Series. Cueto has fallen far short of expectations and seeks his first victory since Aug. 15 against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Thursday in the rubber match of the three-game series.

The San Francisco Giants send their ace to the mound for Thursday’s series finale against the host San Diego Padres, but even Madison Bumgarner might not be enough to keep their faint playoff hopes alive. Time is running out for the reigning World Series champions, whose 5-4 loss Wednesday dropped them seven games back of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West with 11 to play.