Preview Roundups
September 12, 2016
LA Dodgers at NY Yankees 7:05 PM ET
The New York Yankees finally had their winning streak come to an end on Sunday but have spent the last month moving back into postseason contention. The Yankees will try to get back into the win column and keep the pressure on the wild card leaders in the American League when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game interleague series on Monday.
NY Mets at Washington 7:05 PM ET
As the Washington Nationals cruise toward their third National League East title in five years, the red-hot New York Mets find themselves in the middle of an epic wild-card dogfight. New York, which has won seven of its last eight and is 16-5 since Aug. 20, continues its nine-game road trip with three in Washington beginning Monday as it sits one-half game ahead of St. Louis for the second NL wild card and 1 1/2 behind San Francisco for the top spot.
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia 7:05 PM ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates no longer look like a serious playoff contender in the National League and missed out on an opportunity to stay on the fringes of the race with a series loss at home to the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend. The Pirates will try to avoid a fourth consecutive loss when they hit the road and visit the Philadelphia Phillies for the opener of a four-game series on Monday.
Tampa Bay at Toronto 7:07 PM ET
The Toronto Blue Jays need to turn things around quickly in their quest for a second straight American League East title, and to avoid missing the playoffs. The stumbling Blue Jays have lost seven of their last nine as they prepare to host the last-place Tampa Bay Rays on Monday to begin a critical three-game series before heading to the West Coast for the next seven contests.
Baltimore at Boston 7:10 PM ET
The Boston Red Sox emerged from a nine-game road trip with a two-game lead in the American League East, though the race is far from over. The Red Sox will try to grow the advantage when they host the second-place Baltimore Orioles in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.
Minnesota at Detroit 7:10 PM ET
After their bats were silenced against a playoff challenger, the Detroit Tigers will look forward to picking on the visiting Minnesota Twins' beleaguered pitching staff when the American League Central rivals begin a four-game series Monday night. The Tigers were held to eight runs while dropping two of three to Baltimore over the weekend, falling two games out of a wild-card spot.
Miami at Atlanta 7:10 PM ET
The Miami Marlins are facing an uphill climb after losing 10 of 11, while the Atlanta Braves can't find a ladder big enough to get them out of the hole they dug themselves earlier in the season. After winning two of three over the weekend, the visiting Marlins look to keep alive their slim postseason hopes when they open a three-game series against their National League East rivals on Monday.
Milwaukee at Cincinnati 7:10 PM ET
The Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds are enjoying late stretches of sunlight after spending much of the season in darkness. The Brewers and Reds look to continue their recent good fortune at the other's expense on Monday, when they open a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.
Oakland at Kansas City 7:15 PM ET
The Kansas City Royals will need to continue their winning ways if they wish to qualify for the playoffs, let alone defend their World Series title. The Royals will look to chip away at their four-game deficit for the second wild-card spot in the American League on Monday, when they begin an eight-game homestand with the first of four contests versus the Oakland Athletics.
Cleveland at Chi. White Sox 8:10 PM ET
The Cleveland Indians hope to continue cruising toward the American League Central title when they visit the Chicago White Sox on Monday to begin a four-game series. The Indians, who have not won a division title since 2007, lead the Detroit Tigers by seven games after taking two of three at Minnesota over the weekend.
Texas at Houston 8:10 PM ET
With the American League West title all but out of reach, the Houston Astros remain in the thick of the wild-card race as they begin a three-game series at home against the division-leading Texas Rangers on Monday. Houston suffered its fourth loss in five contests Sunday, dropping a 9-5 interleague decision to the major league-best Chicago Cubs after allowing the game's first nine runs, to remain 9 1/2 games behind the Rangers in the AL West but only 3 1/2 in back of the second wild-card spot.
Chi. Cubs at St. Louis 8:15 PM ET
The major league-best Chicago Cubs attempt to shave down their magic number for clinching the National League Central when they visit the division-rival St. Louis Cardinals on Monday for the opener of a three-game series. Chicago, which owns a 16-game lead over second-place St. Louis, has a magic number of five for the sixth division title in franchise history and first since claiming the NL Central in 2008.
Colorado at Arizona 9:40 PM ET
The Colorado Rockies are running out of time to make up ground in the National League wild-card race, but their three-game road series against the struggling Arizona Diamondbacks that begins Monday seems like the perfect opportunity. The Rockies are seven games behind the New York Mets for the final NL playoff spot, but they hope to take advantage of playing a Diamondbacks team that has lost six straight.
Seattle at LA Angels 10:05 PM ET
The Seattle Mariners aim to keep pace in the American League wild-card race on Monday as they begin a three-game series against the host Los Angeles Angels, who have been reduced to the spoiler’s role. Seattle recorded a series sweep of Oakland over the weekend and has won five straight to move within 3 1/2 games of the second wild-card spot.
San Diego at San Francisco 10:15 PM ET
The San Francisco Giants hope their second-half struggles are subsiding just in time to make a postseason run. The Giants will try to extend their three-game winning streak and solidify their playoff prospects when they begin a three-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres on Monday.