Matchups

The Houston Astros seem to be trying their best to play their way out of a postseason spot, and the American League West title is all but gone already. The Astros will try to hang onto the second AL wild card when they host the Texas Rangers in the second of a three-game series on Saturday.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are closing in on locking up home-field advantage in the National League wild-card game – unless they win the NL Central – and they’re doing it with dominant play on the road. The Pirates aim for an eighth consecutive win – all away from home – when they face the Chicago Cubs in the second of a three-game series Friday.

It will be marquee matchup of mentor and protege when David Price leads Toronto into the middle game of a three-game set with Chris Archer and Tampa Bay on Saturday. Archer has taken his game to ace-worthy levels this year for the Rays, filling the void left behind by Price, who won a Cy Young Award and was a four-time All-Star in his seven years in Tampa Bay before being traded to Detroit last year.

The three-four combination of Xander Bogaerts and David Ortiz has been a very bright spot in the midst of another down season for the Boston Red Sox, and the two are streaking to the finish line. Bogaerts and Ortiz will try to lead the Red Sox to a series win when they host the Baltimore Orioles in the second of a three-game set on Saturday.

With three losses in their last five contests, the New York Yankees appear to be running out of steam in their bid for the American League East crown. The Yankees look to get back on track on Saturday as they play the third contest of their four-game series versus the visiting Chicago White Sox.

Barry Zito and Tim Hudson were two of the so-called Big Three in the dominant Oakland Athletics' starting rotation of the early 2000s and will be joined by Mark Mulder in a pregame ceremony Sunday. But first, Zito and Hudson will be the starting pitchers Saturday when the San Francisco Giants — Hudson's team for the past two seasons — visit the Athletics in the second contest of a three-game series at a sold-out O.co Coliseum.

It's time to pronounce last rites for the Washington Nationals, who can officially be eliminated from postseason contention as they continue their three-game series against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. Washington has dropped four games in a row and sits 8 1/2 games behind the first-place New York Mets in the National League East with nine to play.

The New York Mets can capture their first National League East title since 2006 when Matt Harvey takes the mound on Saturday in the third contest of a four-game series versus the host Cincinnati Reds. New York, which has won 10 in a row on the road, can claim the division crown with either its 12th victory in 14 outings versus Cincinnati on Saturday or if second-place Washington falls to Philadelphia.

Hanging onto a four-run lead and managing more than two hits against a last-place team are a couple things the Minnesota Twins will need to fix if they hope to stay in the race for the second American League wild card. The Twins will attempt to avoid a third straight setback when they visit the Detroit Tigers in the second contest of a three-game series Saturday.

While the Kansas City Royals are making their plans for the postseason, the Cleveland Indians are trying to stay alive in the race for the second wild card in the American League. Cleveland can move above the .500 mark for the first time since the third game of the season when it resumes a three-game series against the host Royals on Saturday night.

As Dee Gordon closes out his first season with the Miami Marlins, the second baseman can enter the offseason knowing he did everything he could have hoped for to make the Marlins contenders. Gordon enters Saturday’s middle-contest of a three-game home series against the Atlanta Braves needing seven hits in his final eight games to become the third Miami player to reach 200 hits in a season.

While Jhonny Peralta, Matt Carpenter and the St. Louis Cardinals have tormented the Milwaukee Brewers throughout the season, Khris Davis has gotten his licks in as well. After belting the game-winning homer on Friday, Davis and the sputtering Brewers look to throw a wrench in the Cardinals' bid for their third straight division title on Saturday when the National League Central rivals play the third contest of their four-game series at Busch Stadium.

The Colorado Rockies are hoping to prevent the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers from clinching the National League West at Coors Field and look to defeat them for the second straight night Saturday. The Rockies halted a five-game losing streak with a 7-4 victory in the opener that leaves the Dodgers eight games ahead of the San Francisco Giants with nine contests remaining.

The Arizona Diamondbacks robbed the San Diego Padres of whatever chance they had of finishing over .500 in their last time out. The Padres look to pay back the Diamondbacks in kind by making sure Arizona can do no better than the break-even mark and claim the season series Saturday when the National League West rivals continue their three-game set in San Diego.

The Los Angeles Angels are closing in on the sinking Houston Astros as the race for the second American League wild-card spot heats up. Los Angeles moved to within a half-game of the Astros after winning the series opener against the visiting Seattle Mariners and has the opportunity to move past Houston on Saturday.