Playoff contenders, award favorites highlight 5 series to watch

July is moving month for many MLB teams and players. The teams that find themselves in contention could look for upgrades via the trade market for a final push toward the playoffs, and those that do not might offload veterans as they retool for the future.

A lot of movement within the division and Wild Card spots can happen between now and the July 31 Trade Deadline, though, and a good way to establish yourself as a postseason threat is to collect wins against teams at or near the top of the standings.

For the 10 teams in this week’s five series to watch, that opportunity is immediately in front of them. This week’s slate features nine teams either holding a playoff spot or tied for one. The other, the Rangers, are within striking distance of the postseason. And all 10 will be looking to strengthen their positioning as trade season approaches.

Rays at Tigers: 3 games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head-to-head: When the teams met a couple weeks ago, the Rays took 2 of 3 games in a big offensive series, outscoring Detroit 25-20. Tampa Bay has won the season series five times in seven years.

Storyline: At this time of year, most teams are either in good shape for a playoff spot or scratching and clawing to stay in the mix. The Tigers fall into the former category, with a commanding AL Central lead over four teams with losing records. The Rays, meanwhile, are tied with the Yankees for the top Wild Card spot, and another series win over a division leader could be a giant first step in creating some breathing room.

Watch out for: Another high-scoring series? Reese Olson and his 2.89 ERA are scheduled to pitch the finale for the Tigers, but he is preceded by Jack Flaherty, who has allowed 21 runs over his last five starts, and Dietrich Enns, who has surrendered eight runs in two starts. The Rays counter with an impressive trio of Shane Baz, Ryan Pepiot and Zack Littell, but the Tigers have scored the second-most runs in the American League and are a threat to break out at any time.

Dodgers at Brewers: 3 games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head-to-head: This is the first of two series between the teams this month – they play again at Dodger Stadium from July 18-20. Milwaukee hasn’t won the season series since 2014.

Storyline: Like the series above, you have a team with a comfortable division lead and one leading the Wild Card race. The Brewers are four games back of the Cubs in the NL Central. They’ve hung around the top of the division all season, but haven’t caught Chicago since being tied for first on April 11. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are 15-6 since being tied atop the NL West with the Giants on June 14.

Watch out for: Emerging stars on established teams. Would you believe that after Shohei Ohtani’s 30 home runs, 24-year-old outfielder Andy Pages is second on the Dodgers with 17? That’s fourth most among players who have played the majority of their games in center field. He and the rest of L.A.’s high-octane offense will face a supreme challenge when they oppose Milwaukee rookie Jacob Misiorowski on Tuesday. Misiorowski came back to earth against the Mets last week after allowing two runs in his first three starts. Clayton Kershaw, who recently became the 20th MLB pitcher with 3,000 strikeouts, gets the Tuesday start for the Dodgers.

Phillies at Giants: 3 games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head-to-head: The teams split a four-game series in Philadelphia in April, with the Giants outscoring the Phillies 29-20. They’ve played nearly 2,200 regular-season games beginning in the 19th century but somehow only met for one playoff series – a six-game win by the Giants in the 2010 NLCS.

Storyline: Yes, once again a team with a division lead faces one in the thick of the Wild Card race. The Phillies lead the Mets by 1.5 games in the NL East and the Giants are tied with the Padres for the final playoff spot. The Phillies have been in first place in the division or within one game since June 18. The Giants were tied for first in the NL West on June 13 but then lost 12 of their next 16.

Watch out for: A Rafael Devers turnaround? Like in his first week with the Red Sox to open 2025, Devers’ Giants stint began slowly, with excessive strikeouts. But Devers may be morphing back into the version of himself that had a 1.043 OPS between April 2 and May 24. Entering Sunday night, he had a hit in every game in July, with three doubles and four RBIs. The lefty-swinging Devers and the Giants face a tough left-hander to start the series – Cristopher Sánchez, who owns a 2.68 ERA and 108 strikeouts.

Cubs at Yankees: 3 games (Friday-Sunday)

Head-to-head: These interleague opponents meet for the first and only time this weekend at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees are 18-7 all-time against the Cubs in the regular season, winning 16 of the last 21 games. They also swept the Cubs in the World Series in 1938 and 1932, when Babe Ruth may or may not have called his shot.

Storyline: Anytime a team with a national fanbase visits the Bronx, the series is bound to get lots of attention. This one has added importance because both teams are contending. The Cubs have been in first place in the NL Central every day since April 4. But the Yankees, up seven games in the AL East as recently as May 28, are now three games back of the Blue Jays.

Watch out for: A clash between MVP contenders. The most recent poll of MLB.com experts showed that Aaron Judge, with Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh bearing down, is still the favorite to win AL MVP. Judge leads the league in walks, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong is extracting value in various ways, with 23 home runs, 26 stolen bases and elite center field defense. Our experts have him second in NL MVP polling, but he’s picked to win his first of likely many Gold Glove awards.

Rangers at Astros: 3 games (Friday-Sunday)

Head-to-head: These division rivals play 13 times this season and split a four-game series in Arlington in May. The Rangers own a 142-141 all-time series lead in the regular season, and they defeated Houston in seven games in the 2023 ALCS.

Storyline: The AL West isn’t a particularly tight division overall, with Houston leading second-place Seattle by seven games. Texas is 11 games behind the Astros in the division but just four games back of the final Wild Card spot. The Rangers have a plus-25 run differential but haven’t turned it into consistent success. They went 13-13 in April, 12-16 in May and 13-13 in June.

Watch out for: The Rangers trying to build traction with their two best starting pitchers. The return to health for 37-year-old Jacob deGrom has been a revelation. He ranks third in the AL in ERA (2.13), tied for fourth in wins (9) and second in WHIP (0.888) and has already pitched more innings than in any season since 2019. He should be lined up to pitch Saturday, followed by Nathan Eovaldi, who has a 1.75 ERA in 14 starts but isn’t a qualifier after missing time with an injury. The Astros will likely send Framber Valdez to the mound on Friday and Hunter Brown and his league-leading 1.82 ERA to face Eovaldi on Sunday.