This should be a week of great baseball. We'll see three big rivalry matchups, one that could become a fun rivalry and another that comes with a dose of international flair. Here's a look at five series to watch for the week of April 20.

The NL Central is not exactly known for containing juggernauts top to bottom: Heck, 20 years ago, only one team, the 2006 Cardinals, finished over .500 … and they only won 83 games! But right now? Right now it looks like the best division in baseball. All five NL Central

We all know the legend about the way the Yankees have hit, all the way back to Babe Ruth. The Bronx Bombers are a permanent part of the language of baseball, and so is Murderers' Row because of the 1927 Yankees -- one of the most storied Yankees teams of

BOSTON -- For the reeling Red Sox, the resuscitation of the offense came with some smart, small ball on Patriots' Day. In the bottom of the sixth inning with one out, slow-footed catcher Carlos Narváez realized that Brant Hurter wasn’t holding him on and he stole third without a throw.

This story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo’s Mets Beat newsletter. MLB.com writer and researcher Jared Greenspan wrote this edition. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BOSTON -- It was expected that Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray's day would start early, given that he got the nod in Monday’s annual Patriots' Day game with an 11:10 a.m. start time. Much less expected was that Gray’s day also ended early. He walked off the mound with what

Munetaka Murakami just keeps bashing home runs. After three more over the weekend, Murakami is already up to eight homers in his first MLB season -- tied for third-most in the Majors, behind only Yordan Alvarez (10) and Aaron Judge (nine). If you thought Murakami's 56 home runs for the

NEW YORK – There are no more surprises with Aaron Judge, not after collecting three American League MVP awards in the past four seasons. If someone is caught off guard when the Yankees’ captain belts a first-inning homer into Monument Park, as he did on Sunday, they must not be

Baseball can break your heart, but it can melt it, too. We got proof of the latter Sunday in Pittsburgh. At one point between innings during the Rays-Pirates tilt, Pittsburgh outfielder Jake Mangum tossed a ball to a young boy in the stands. Most kids -- heck, most people --

The Mets, losers of 11 in a row, could use a boost. Perhaps a boost like four-time All-Star Juan Soto. Fortunately for New York, the club still anticipates Soto (right calf strain) will be back in the fold at some point during the upcoming homestand, which begins Tuesday against the

It's a new era for the longstanding relationship between MLB and ESPN. Though ESPN is no longer the home for “Sunday Night Baseball” (now on NBC) or the Home Run Derby (now on Netflix), the sports broadcasting network is actually bringing fans more baseball than ever.

Right-hander Mick Abel has been a bright spot in the Twins’ rotation of late. But it’s unclear when he will next step on the mound. The team announced Monday that it has placed Abel on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation (retroactive to Friday). He had been scheduled

Not much has gone wrong for the Dodgers in recent years, but the reigning champs did just lose back-to-back games for the first time in 2026, falling at the Rockies on Saturday and Sunday. In Sunday’s loss, not only did All-Star closer Edwin Díaz have more concerning struggles, but the

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CHICAGO -- Pete Crow-Armstrong sprinted through home plate and continued into foul territory on Sunday afternoon. The Cubs center fielder hopped onto the short brick wall and began celebrating face-to-face with fans before jumping back down to join his partying teammates on the infield. “He’s a madman,” Cubs second baseman

ANAHEIM -- The 2026 Padres with a late lead and Mason Miller on the mound? Fernando Tatis Jr. said it best on Saturday night: “Game over.” Sure feels like it.

The HBCU Swingman Classic presented by USA Baseball is back. Philadelphia will be the site of this year’s HBCU showcase, which brings together 50 top Division I talents to showcase their skills on a national stage during All-Star Week. The game will take place at Citizens Bank Park on July

DENVER -- Shohei Ohtani took sole possession of third place on the Dodgers’ longest on-base streak leaderboard (since 1900) with a third-inning RBI double to right off Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen on Sunday. Ohtani started the game tied with “Wee” Willie Keeler and extended his streak past Keeler’s to 51

This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

PHOENIX -- After the long, painful drought, the skies have finally opened. The Blue Jays opened Sunday’s 10-4 win over the D-backs at Chase Field with an offensive landslide, tallying seven consecutive hits followed by a walk in an eight-run first inning.

WEST SACRAMENTO -- White Sox designated hitter Munetaka Murakami has done it again. The 26-year-old Japanese slugger homered for the third consecutive game on Sunday, matching the impressive achievement he enjoyed when making his MLB debut this season, while leading the White Sox to a 7-4 win in the rubber

PHILADELPHIA -- When Braves manager Walt Weiss puts Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson back to back in the second and third spots of his lineup, he knows there is a good chance these two left-handed hitters will be challenged at some point by at least one lefty reliever. Weiss could

MINNEAPOLIS – After scoring just one run through eight innings, the never-say-die Reds rallied late twice to complete a three-game sweep at Target Field with a 7-4 victory over the Twins in 10 innings on Sunday. The sweep was already the second in three road series this year for the

CLEVELAND -- We’ve long grown to realize the greatness of José Ramírez is not limited to one aspect of the game, but rather his all-around abilities on the baseball diamond. And yet, he’s raising the bar even for his stellar standard in the early going this season. “He's one of