Preview Roundups
June 21, 2019
NY Mets at Chi. Cubs 2:20 PM ET
The Chicago Cubs are outstanding at home while the New York Mets are mired in a funk on the road. New York will try to halt a stretch of 14 losses in 18 contests away from home on Friday, when it visits Chicago for the second contest of their four-game series.
Atlanta at Washington 7:05 PM ET
The Atlanta Braves were criticized for not upgrading their pitching staff last offseason, but their newest acquisition is expected to make his 2019 season debut in Friday’s series opener at the Washington Nationals. Dallas Keuchel, who signed a $13-million contract with the National League East leaders on June 7, provides the Braves with a former Cy Young winner and two-time All-Star, and he joins a team coming off an 8-2 homestand in which it averaged 8.4 runs and 2.6 homers per game.
Houston at NY Yankees 7:05 PM ET
The New York Yankees aren't looking like a team that needs to bolster its lineup, but that's what they'll do when they welcome back slugger Aaron Judge on Friday in the second contest of a four-game series with the visiting Houston Astros. Judge has not played since suffering an oblique strain April 20 but expects to hit the ground running for the surging Yankees.
Miami at Philadelphia 7:05 PM ET
The Philadelphia Phillies will honor a key member of their 2008 World Series team during a time in which the current club isn't playing so hot. Six-time All-Star Chase Utley likely will receive a hero's welcome in the City of Brotherly Love on Friday as the slumping Phillies begin a seven-game homestand with the opener of a three-game series against the Miami Marlins.
San Diego at Pittsburgh 7:05 PM ET
The San Diego Padres closed out their last road trip -- a four-game set at Colorado -- by making history as part of the highest-scoring series in league history. Such offensive fireworks are unlikely again but the resurgent Padres will be seeking their fifth straight win when they open a five-game trek with the first of three at the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
Toronto at Boston 7:10 PM ET
The Boston Red Sox look to build off a successful road trip when they begin a six-game stay at Fenway Park on Friday with the first of three against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. After winning their last two games of their previous homestand, the Red Sox won five of six on the road, capped by a 9-4 triumph at Minnesota on Wednesday.
Detroit at Cleveland 7:10 PM ET
While the Cleveland Indians are well back of first-place Minnesota in the American League Central, they are in the thick of things in the wild-card chase as they enter a favorable portion of the schedule. Despite losing Thursday's series finale in Texas, the Indians have won 10 of 15 entering Friday's opener of a three-game set versus the visiting Detroit Tigers.
Chi. White Sox at Texas 8:05 PM ET
The Texas Rangers received a better performance on the mound to salvage a series split last time out and look to carry that over into a three-game series against the visiting Chicago White Sox that begins Friday night. The Rangers had given up double-figure runs in three of four contests before Mike Minor tossed eight strong innings on the way to a 4-2 victory over Cleveland on Thursday afternoon.
Cincinnati at Milwaukee 8:10 PM ET
Christian Yelich is on the fast track toward potentially repeating the feat as the National League Most Valuable Player, although the Milwaukee Brewers have sputtered out of the blocks with their recent play. The Brewers have lost six of their last seven contests heading into the second of four games against the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Friday.
Minnesota at Kansas City 8:15 PM ET
The Kansas City Royals almost certainly are headed to yet another losing campaign, but they are doing a fine job of bringing the Minnesota Twins back to the pack as much as possible. The Royals set their sights on a third straight victory over the visiting Twins on Friday, when the first- and last-place teams in the American League Central square off for the second contest of their four-game series.
LA Angels at St. Louis 8:15 PM ET
Albert Pujols broke the hearts of many St. Louis Cardinals fans when he decided to leave the only franchise he had ever known to sign a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels at the end of the 2011 season. The 39-year-old, three-time MVP will set foot in his old home stadium for the first time since he left the Cardinals on Friday when his Angels visit for the opener of a three-game set in St. Louis.
San Francisco at Arizona 9:40 PM ET
The Arizona Diamondbacks got off to a less than stellar start on their nine-game homestand but will attempt to turn things around when they host the San Francisco Giants on Friday for the opener of their three-game series. Arizona came out on the wrong end of a three-game sweep against Colorado, dropping a 6-4 decision in 10 innings on Thursday for its fifth loss in its last six at home.
Tampa Bay at Oakland 10:07 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays have struggled mightily thus far on their 10-game road trip, but they hope to begin a turnaround when they visit the Oakland Athletics on Friday for the second contest of their four-game series. Tampa Bay was outscored 21-4 during a three-game sweep by the New York Yankees that began its trek and squandered a three-run lead in the ninth inning of Thursday's series-opening 5-4 loss.
Colorado at LA Dodgers 10:10 PM ET
The Colorado Rockies are looking for their eighth win in 11 games when they open a three-game series against the host Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. The Rockies might be without star third baseman Nolan Arenado (left big toe), who left Thursday's 6-4, 10-inning win over Arizona on the same day standout shortstop Trevor Story (right thumb) was placed on the 10-day injured list.
Baltimore at Seattle 10:10 PM ET
After winning back-to-back games for the first time in over a month, the Seattle Mariners look to carry that momentum into Friday when they continue their four-game series against the visiting Baltimore Orioles. Domingo Santana has homered three times in the last two games for the Mariners, who are 20-44 since opening the season with a 13-2 mark.