Summer is in full swing and the baseball season is nearing the halfway point.
With the All-Star Game less than a month away, we have a pretty good gauge on where things stand, how each team’s playoff chances look and which players could potentially be moved at the Deadline. We’re also set for a great week of matchups with intriguing headlines and possible playoff implications.
Here are five series to watch for the week of June 22.
Phillies at Nationals
4 games (Monday-Thursday)
Head-to-head: These clubs faced off in their second series of the season. The Nationals handily won the first game 13-2, which was followed by the Phillies winning a pair of one-run games to complete the series.
Storyline: Will this Nationals offense continue its elite production? Before the season, nobody outside of the nation’s capital likely expected this type of offense, yet the Nationals enter this series with an MLB-best 416 runs. Between the top-tier production from James Wood and CJ Abrams and unexpected offense from players like Curtis Mead and Keibert Ruiz, the Nats' offense has proven to be one of most pleasant surprises in 2026.
Watch out for: Wood’s blend of power and plate discipline puts him in a truly rare group of players. With 20 home runs and 60 walks in 78 games, Wood is on pace for 41 homers and 124 walks. The list of players who have recently reached those marks: Aaron Judge and Juan Soto both did it from 2024-25 and Kyle Schwarber did it in ‘23. Having this kind of skill set at 23 years old makes him one of baseball’s most exciting stars.
Guardians at White Sox
3 games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head-to-head: Both clubs are vying for the AL Central division and will face off for the first time nearly halfway through the 2026 season. The Guardians took 11 of 13 games from the White Sox in 2025, but it’s important to note that this Chicago club is much improved.
Storyline: The Guardians continue to outperform their preseason expectations and look like they could win the AL Central again. The White Sox, meanwhile, are just two years removed from a historically bad 2024 season and are ahead of schedule on their rebuilding timeline. It’s a fascinating storyline that is even more intriguing given that the Tigers and Royals have performed well below their expectations.
Watch out for: Colson Montgomery has smashed 41 home runs since last year’s All-Star break, second only to Schwarber’s 55 homers. Montgomery has done so with elite shortstop defense, making him one of the most valuable players in baseball during that time. There are many players responsible for Chicago’s emergence this season, but Montgomery might be the single-biggest reason for the White Sox being legitimate contenders.
Yankees at Red Sox
4 games (Thursday-Sunday)
Head-to-head: The Yankees have taken four of the first five games this season, which is perhaps unsurprising given how the seasons have been for these respective clubs.
Storyline: This is one of the more lopsided Yanks-Red Sox matchups we’ve had … this century? At 46-30, the Yankees have the fourth-best record in baseball and tops in the American League. At 31-44, the Red Sox have the fifth-worst record in the Majors. For New York, it’s a chance to continue their push for the AL East title and best record in their league. For the Red Sox, it’s maybe a final push to get themselves into the race.
Watch out for: Ben Rice has been one of the best hitters in baseball, building on his strong 2025 performance with an even better offensive output in ‘26. Rice has 22 home runs and is running the second-best OPS in baseball, putting together the combination of skills that make him one of the most feared hitters. He’s running a 94th percentile barrel rate (through Saturday’s games) and an 82nd percentile chase rate, giving him an optimal blend of pop and discipline.
Cubs at Brewers
3 games (Friday-Sunday)
Head-to-head: The Brewers thoroughly dominated the Cubs in a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field earlier this season, outscoring Chicago 19-5. It was a different story in 2025, when the Cubs took seven of 13 regular season games, while the Brewers won the NLDS against Chicago in five games.
Storyline: The Brewers are 46-29 and sit five games ahead in the NL Central, while the 40-37 Cubs are seven games back. A Chicago sweep would do wonders for getting the Cubbies back into the mix, but the Brewers have been exceptionally consistent this season.
Watch out for: Who other than Jacob Misiorowski? The flamethrowing Brewers ace is coming off a “down” start for his standards, when Misiorowski allowed two runs and struck out seven Braves hitters across six innings. The start before, of course, the Miz was brilliant in a 15-strikeout Maddux against the Phillies. Misiorowski has a 1.45 ERA and has struck out 138 batters (no pitcher has more than 121) in his 15 starts.
Dodgers at Padres
3 games (Friday-Sunday)
Head-to-head: The Dodgers took the first series earlier this season, winning two of three games in San Diego. Los Angeles also took nine of 13 games from the Padres last season, which proved pivotal in the Dodgers winning the NL West.
Storyline: The Dodgers have been firing on all cylinders and have extended their lead in the NL West to nine games over the Padres. San Diego has presented a real threat to Los Angeles in recent years, but this is one heck of a mountain for the Padres to climb. There’s plenty of time to make things interesting, but the Padres need to get that ball rolling sooner rather than later.
Watch out for: Roki Sasaki had a rough start to the season. Now he's on a nice little run, allowing three runs or fewer in seven of his last eight starts. His ERA in those seven appearances (excluding his seven-run outing against the Cubs on June 12) is a sparkling 2.85 (0.90 WHIP, 28 hits allowed in 41 IP). The Dodgers have rightly been encouraged by his recent improvement, and after a nice bounce back against the Orioles on June 19 (5 2/3 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, 6 K's) he'll make his next start against the Padres, likely on Friday.