Biggest MLB Games of the Week (Sept. 13 – 19)
With just three weeks remaining in the MLB season, teams around the majors are jockeying for postseason positioning. With teams fighting for their playoff lives, let’s take a look at some of the biggest games of the upcoming week and how their MLB odds will play out.
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Boston vs. Seattle (Sept 13 – 15)
Currently, there are five teams vying for just two wild card spots in the American League. Two of those teams square off to start the week as the Boston Red Sox (81-64) travel to take on the Seattle Mariners (77-66).
Currently, the Red Sox occupy one of the wild card spots, but the Mariners trail by just three games. A division series win, let alone a sweep would put the Mariners right back in the thick of things.
On the season, the Mariners are 41-31 when playing at home, and they are 6-4 over their last 10, despite losing two of three to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Boston has been one of the best teams in baseball offensively as they rank fourth, averaging 5.07 runs per game. Still, they are just 37-35 on the road, and their scoring drops to 4.38 runs per game away from Fenway Park.
San Diego vs. San Francisco (Sept 13 – 16)
In the National League, the NL West has been one of the most compelling divisions to date. The Giants currently have the best record in baseball at 93-50, but they lead the second-place Dodgers (91-53) by just 2.5 games.
The Padres (74-68) trail the division by 18.5 games, but they are currently tied for the second wild card spot with the Cincinnati Reds.
The Giants are basically guaranteed a playoff spot, but the Padres have their work cut out for them if they want to join San Francisco in the postseason. In fact, they have the hardest remaining schedule in the majors as their remaining opponents have a combined winning percentage of .604.
With ten games left between the two teams, the Padres will need to find a way to beat their division rivals starting on Monday.
Tampa Bay vs. Toronto Blue Jays (Sept 13 – 15)
Also starting on Monday is a series between the AL East leading Tampa Bay Rays (89-54) and one of the hottest teams in baseball in the Toronto Blue Jays (9-1 in their last 10).
Toronto’s hot stretch has propelled them to a wild card spot, but they can’t get complacent. They will play the Rays, who lead the division by nine games, for six more games over the final three weeks and the Yankees for three more games in that span.
This series does feature two of the best offenses in baseball. The Rays currently rank first in baseball, averaging 5.41 runs per game (5.85 on the road). The Blue Jays rank third, averaging 5.18 runs (5.52 at home).
While the Blue Jays likely won’t be able to catch the Rays for the division, they certainly want to take this series and help secure their wild card spot.
San Diego vs. St. Louis Cardinals (Sept 17 – 19)
The Padres make this list for a second time with their upcoming weekend series against the St. Louis Cardinals (73-69). As previously mentioned, the Padres have the toughest remaining schedule, and that includes games against a Cardinals’ team that is just a game behind them in the wild card chase.
They will take on the Cardinals in St. Louis, where they are 39-33 this season. The Padres have struggled on the road to the tune of a 30-37 record thus far this season.
Again, the Padres are competing with the Reds, Cardinals, Phillies, and Mets, who are all within three games of that second wild card spot.
Like San Diego, the Cardinals do not have an easy remaining schedule. They currently have the sixth-toughest remaining schedule as opponents have a collective .527 winning percentage.