Game Day: Friday, July 24th

It's a big weekend for MLB with a number of important series opening Friday night across the country.  Games into the August trade deadline will determine the course for many teams who are teetering between contention and surrender.  

Let's take a look at this weekend's most important matchups.

Chicago Cubs (56-44) at Pittsburgh Pirates (52-49)

The Northsiders are clearly in contention at 12 games above .500 and while that's good for fourth best in the NL and the top spot in the NL wild card standings, the Cubs' situation at the end of July is precarious at best.  Take a look at Chicago's schedule in August and September.  They might have the most difficult schedule in MLB into October.  

The Cubs are only 4.5 games up on the Pirates in the standings.  The Pirates don't need to win this series to remain in contention.  Unlike the Cubs, the Pirates' play a very soft schedule and that is going to be a big advantage down the stretch.  

Pittsburgh needs to avoid the sweep this weekend.  A sweep at the hands of the Cubs will be a major setback.  Lose two of three and it's on to next week with all sights set on improving the team at the trade deadline.  

A series win for Pittsburgh and they pick up a game on Chicago.  A series sweep for the Pirates and the Cubs will be swamped with concerns.  

Jared Jones (2-1) takes on Cubs' Ace Mathew Boyd (6-1) in Game One of a three game set.  First pitch is at 5:40 PM CDT from PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA.  

Kansas City Royals (43-61) at Detroit Tigers (49-54)

The Royals are well out of contention but this series still holds a lot of importance for the Tigers who need to win games to remain in the playoff picture.  It's an uphill battle for Detroit.  6.5 games back of the White Sox in the AL Central and that's a four-team race with Minnesota and Cleveland also atop the Tigers in the standings.  The AL Wild Card doesn't offer an easier route to the playoffs.  Eight teams are within 4.5 games of each other and Detroit is at the back of the pack.  

A look at the Tigers' schedule offers hope to this ball club.  Like the Pirates, the Tigers also play one of the softest schedules in MLB over the last two months of the season. 

With Tarik Skubal healthy and rookie Troy Melton throwing the ball like a true ace, the Tigers might have the best five-man rotation in MLB.  They can make up the ground and a sweep of the Royals is certain to keep Skubal on the roster for at least another week.

It's that dynamic that makes this series so important this weekend.  If the Royals were to split the series, Detroit likely loses ground in both the AL Central and the AL Wild Card race.  That could have Detroit ready to make the big trade.

Trading Tarik Skubal offers this team a significant return of prospects but can they really trade him if they sweep this series and pull above .500 before the August 3rd trade deadline?

It's as important of a series as there is this weekend because of the Tarik Skubal situation.  If the Tigers' trade Skubal to a contender it will be an epic trade with potential to put one team well over the top as favorites for a pennant.  If they don't trade him and announce their intention to compete for a World Series title, they might become the favorites to win the AL Central and with that rotation, they could win it all.

Big games over the weekend in Kansas City.  Tonight, it's Tarik Skubal (6-5) with Beck Way (1-0) opening the game for KC in a 5:40 PM CDT start from Kauffman Stadium.  

Atlanta Braves (60-42) at Baltimore Orioles (50-53)

The Orioles are in a similar situation as the Tigers this weekend in that they need to win games to remain contenders.  The biggest difference is that they play a tough interleague series against one of the NL's best teams, the Atlanta Braves.

It bothers the Orioles to bow out of this race.  They spent big money this off-season to acquire Pete Alonso.  They made big trades for Taylor Ward and Shane Baz and Gunnar Henderson is one year closer to free agency.  The O's might not want to pay Henderson what he is asking for and this season could be one of the last with Henderson at shortstop in Baltimore.

This series is a temperature check for the Orioles.  Win a series against the Braves and set the stage for a pair of pivotal matchups with the Tigers and the Phillies into the August 3rd trade deadline.  Lose this series and the trade deadline becomes murky.  

The Orioles have players to trade that could return significant prospects packages.  Catcher Adley Rutschmann is in high demand with four or five contenders seeking offense at the position.  Right fielder Taylor Ward is a free agent in '27 as is starter Trevor Rogers.  All three are impact players and the opportunity cost on keeping them for the stretch run is high.

It's what makes this series this weekend so important.  If the Orioles win a series against the Braves this weekend, win a series against the Tigers to open the week and win a series against the Phillies into the trade deadline, surrender becomes an afterthought.  They will have taken three series in a row from three potential playoff teams.  

Baltimore's task is difficult but in a way, the schedule sets up well for them and offers a thermometer to read that makes the decision to buy or sell at the deadline much easier.  If you can't beat this Braves' team this weekend, if you lose a series to the Tigers, making the trades for prospects becomes the right play.

Grant Holmes (6-4) starts for Atlanta against Trevor Rogers (6-7) in a 6:05 PM CDT start at Camden Yards.  

Seattle Mariners (51-52) at Texas Rangers (51-51)

It's a matchup between the two top teams in the AL West.  Texas holds a 0.5 game lead over Seattle with both teams on the outside of the AL Wild Card standings.  

The best opportunity for Texas and Seattle to make the playoffs this season is to win the division and that is what makes this series so important.

It's a rare four-game series with a finale on Monday afternoon of next week.  Win three of four and pick up two games in the division standings.  

With the division race so tightly contested, I'd expect both teams to be adding to their rosters in some way at the trade deadline no matter how the games fall.  It isn't necessarily a pivotal series for either team in that they both teams will still be in contention to win the division.

The AL West division title is up for grabs and that race is what makes this one of the best series on the schedule this weekend.  Bryce Miller (4-4) squares up with Mackenzie Gore (6-8) in a 7:05 PM CDT start from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.  

Many other great games on the schedule this weekend too.  It should be a great weekend of games.  These are just a few of the insights from the matchups of teams with something to play for.  

That's it for Game Day on Friday.  There are a couple hours before the games start this evening.  I will have a pick in before post time so stay tuned.  It's a fairly difficult slate but I'm pressing a bet on Skubal and looking for another game to add to make it juicy. 

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