The New York Yankees are again creeping up on the Boston Red Sox in the American League East, but a tough week looms. The Yankees will begin a stretch of seven contests against first-place teams when they host the AL Central-leading Cleveland Indians in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.

The Washington Nationals look to cool down Giancarlo Stanton and the Miami Marlins while maintaining a double-digit lead in the National League East when they host a three-game series between the division rivals that begins on Monday. Miami completed a three-game sweep against San Diego on Sunday to give it seven wins in eight contests and keep it 4 1/2 games behind Colorado for the second wild-card spot in the NL.

The Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles may be not be intimidating given their nearly identical records and matching minus-23 run differentials, but both teams very much are in the running for a wild-card spot in the wide-open American League. Two of the three teams within two games of the second wild card continue to jockey for position starting Monday, when the Mariners visit the Orioles for the opener of their three-game series.

Rhys Hoskins continues making a tremendous impact in the opening month of his major league career for the Philadelphia Phillies, who open a three-game home series Monday against the Atlanta Braves. Hoskins, who became the fastest player to reach 10 homers in baseball’s modern era (17 games) on Saturday, slugged his 11th in Sunday’s 6-3 victory over the Cubs - his fifth consecutive game with a blast - and started a triple play in the fifth inning with a sliding catch in left field.

The Boston Red Sox matched their longest losing streak of the season and have seen their lead in the American League East trimmed to 2 1/2 games over the rival New York Yankees. The Red Sox will try to avoid a fifth straight setback when they open a seven-game road trip by visiting the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.

The Chicago Cubs’ record within the division has been a big reason for their two-game lead atop the National League Central. The Cubs hope to continue that trend when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates for a three-game series starting Monday. 

The Kansas City Royals must lick their wounds and end a lengthy drought when they return home to begin a three-game series against the surging Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. Kansas City was swept of a three-game weekend set at Cleveland without registering a run and has not scored in a franchise-record 34 consecutive innings while falling nine games back in the American League Central.

Although the Colorado Rockies probably wouldn't mind forgetting most of August, they may be ending the month the same positive way they started it. After winning three of their final four during a six-game road trip, the Rockies return home Monday to begin a three-game interleague series against the fading Detroit Tigers.

The Oakland Athletics played the role of spoiler to perfection against one American League wild-card hopeful and attempt to do the same versus another as they visit the Los Angeles Angels on Monday for the opener of a three-game series. Oakland did some damage over the weekend to the playoff chances of Texas, which was outscored 19-7 while being swept in a three-game set and pushed three games behind Minnesota for the second wild card.

Life on the road has not been good to the San Francisco Giants, who have lost 13 of their last 16 games away from AT&T Park. The Giants look to get untracked Monday as they open a three-game series against the San Diego Padres, who are beginning an 11-game homestand.