Preview Roundups
August 12, 2016
St. Louis at Chi. Cubs 2:20 PM ET
The Chicago Cubs are riding their longest winning streak since 2001, but their eyes are on a prize for which they’ve waited much, much longer. The Cubs take their 10-game winning streak and burgeoning World Series hopes into the second contest of their four-game series with the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
Tampa Bay at NY Yankees 7:05 PM ET
Alex Rodriguez is scheduled to play his final game in pinstripes on Friday, when the New York Yankees host the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of their three-game series. Rodriguez, who has belted 696 homers among 3,114 hits and recorded 2,085 RBIs, will be released after the contest and perhaps put an end to a frustrating season in which the three-time American League MVP is batting .199 in 64 games.
Atlanta at Washington 7:05 PM ET
The Washington Nationals are in a good place, maintaining a comfortable lead in the National League East with 49 games remaining, but they would feel much better if Bryce Harper can get healthy and start producing. The Nationals open a three-game home series Friday against the Atlanta Braves hoping Harper returns to the lineup after missing three games with a stiff neck, and can rediscover his hitting stroke.
Colorado at Philadelphia 7:05 PM ET
After surviving yet another collapse by their bullpen, the Colorado Rockies look to remain relevant in the National League wild-card race when they open a three-game series at the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night. The Rockies blew a lead in the eighth inning or later for the fourth straight game Thursday before rallying for five runs in the ninth and a 12-9 victory at Texas.
Houston at Toronto 7:07 PM ET
The Houston Astros hope to build off a special series with the bats and set sail again in their quest for a second straight playoff spot when they visit the first-place Toronto Blue Jays on Friday in the first of three contests. The Astros had lost six of seven before recording 32 runs and 47 hits in the past three games at Minnesota – the last two in a doubleheader sweep Thursday.
Arizona at Boston 7:10 PM ET
The Arizona Diamondbacks have sunk their teeth into the role of a spoiler while the Boston Red Sox are trying to feast on the last scraps of a homestand. The National League West cellar-dwelling Diamondbacks look to extend their winning streak to five games on Friday as they open a three-game interleague series against the host Red Sox.
Chi. White Sox at Miami 7:10 PM ET
The Chicago White Sox have seen their once-promising season teeter toward the brink of disaster and the Miami Marlins are looking to prevent something similar from happening to them. With wins in just three of nine contests this month, Miami attempts to get back on track in the opener of a three-game series with visiting Chicago on Friday.
LA Angels at Cleveland 7:10 PM ET
The Cleveland Indians put their best foot forward in the opener of a season-high 11-game homestand while the Los Angeles Angels continued to trip over their own feet. After erupting for 14 runs on as many hits through five innings of a 14-4 rout in the opener, the host Indians look to add to the Angels' misery on Friday as the clubs continue their four-game series.
San Diego at NY Mets 7:10 PM ET
The New York Mets are sinking fast in the National League East and manager Terry Collins ripped into his team following the latest debacle. The Mets will try to rebound from a three-game sweep against the lowly Arizona Diamondbacks when they play host to another pedestrian National League West opponent in the San Diego Padres on Friday night.
Detroit at Texas 8:05 PM ET
Right-hander Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers look to continue their mastery in the series when they host the Detroit Tigers on Friday to begin an important three-game set. Darvish is 5-0 in five career games against Detroit and the Rangers have won eight of the last nine games versus the Tigers, including all three this season by a combined 23-9.
Kansas City at Minnesota 8:10 PM ET
The Kansas City Royals have experienced season-long issues away from home, and their major league-worst 19-38 road record has all but wiped away
their chances of defending their World Series crown. Kansas City's odds
of a sudden turnaround aren't great considering Friday's contest against the Minnesota Twins begins a stretch in which 12 of its next 16 games are on the road.
Cincinnati at Milwaukee 8:10 PM ET
The bottom two teams in the National League Central Division will square off when the Milwaukee Brewers host the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night in the opener of a three-game set. It will be the third straight last-place team faced by Milwaukee, which is 4-6 in August after winning six of seven to close out July.
Seattle at Oakland 10:05 PM ET
The Seattle Mariners are the hottest team in the American League and
strive to stretch their season-best winning streak to seven games when
they open a three-game series against the host Oakland Athletics on
Friday. The Mariners are fresh off an 8-2 homestand and suddenly find
themselves just one game behind the Boston Red Sox for the AL's second
wild-card spot.
Pittsburgh at LA Dodgers 10:10 PM ET
The Los Angeles Dodgers hope to have phenom Corey Seager - an apparent lock to win the National League Rookie of the Year award - in the lineup Friday when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opener of a three-game series. The 22-year-old shortstop, who is hitting .305 with 21 home runs (team highs) and 55 RBIs, and a club-best 135 hits, was hit on the right wrist by a pitch in Wednesday's 6-2 loss to Philadelphia although X-rays came back negative.
Baltimore at San Francisco 10:15 PM ET
The San Francisco Giants are a miserable 8-16 since the All-Star break
but still manage to hold possession of the National League West lead
entering Friday's opener of a three-game series against the visiting
Baltimore Orioles. The Giants hold a one-game edge over the Los Angeles
Dodgers and are hoping to right themselves with a favorable schedule
that has 15 of their next 18 games at home.