Preview Roundups
May 25, 2018
San Francisco at Chi. Cubs 2:20 PM ET
Wrigley Field hasn’t lived up to its nickname of the “friendly confines” for the Chicago Cubs lately. The Cubs have lost four straight home games going into a three-game series with the visiting San Francisco Giants starting Friday.
LA Angels at NY Yankees 7:05 PM ET
The New York Yankees' string of eight straight series wins finally came to an end as the prolific offense could not survive a rare letdown from the pitching staff. The Yankees will try to keep the bats hot and turn the staff around when they host the Los Angeles Angels on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.
St. Louis at Pittsburgh 7:05 PM ET
Pittsburgh Pirates fans have been patient as right-hander Joe Musgrove worked his way back to form after nursing a strained right shoulder that lingered from spring training into the season. Musgrove, who was a key part of the Gerrit Cole trade to Houston, will make his debut on Friday as the Pirates (27-22) begin a six-game homestand with the opener of a three-game series versus the St. Louis Cardinals (26-21).
Toronto at Philadelphia 7:05 PM ET
The Philadelphia Phillies' pitching staff slowly is changing the narrative of Citizens Bank Park being labeled as hitter-friendly by recording three shutouts in the team's last eight home contests. Zach Eflin will bid to keep the good times going on Friday as the Phillies (28-19) open a three-game interleague series against the struggling Toronto Blue Jays (23-27).
Atlanta at Boston 7:10 PM ET
A pair of first-place teams looking to bounce back from series-ending losses meet Friday when the Boston Red Sox host the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a three-game interleague series. The Red Sox won four straight before falling 6-3 at Tampa Bay on Thursday, as the top third of their order went 1-for-12 with five strikeouts.
Baltimore at Tampa Bay 7:10 PM ET
The Tampa Bay Rays are expected to start relief pitchers in all three games of their series with the visiting Baltimore Orioles, beginning with Sergio Romo in Friday's opener. The Rays have utilized relief pitchers in starting roles multiple times this year and will rely heavily on their strategy over the weekend, with Romo starting twice and Ryne Stanek opening Saturday's tilt.
Houston at Cleveland 7:10 PM ET
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber will try to cool off Houston's offense when his Cleveland Indians host the Astros on Friday for the second contest of the four-game series between the American League division leaders. Houston has won four straight and seven of eight contests after recording 12 hits and going 5-for-9 with runners in scoring position in an 8-2 victory over the Indians on Thursday.
Washington at Miami 7:10 PM ET
Right-hander Jose Urena is laboring through a frustrating season with the Miami Marlins, failing to win in each of his 10 starts and carrying an 0-7 record into Friday night's matchup against the visiting Washington Nationals. Breaking the slide won't be easy for Urena, who will be matched up against three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.
Chi. White Sox at Detroit 7:10 PM ET
The Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers own two of the five worst records in the American League, but both teams really only need a hot streak to get right back in the thick of things in the AL Central. The White Sox seek payback for a three-game sweep early last month at the hands of the Tigers beginning Friday when they visit Detroit for the opener of a three-game set.
Kansas City at Texas 8:05 PM ET
The Kansas City Royals look to extend their season-high winning streak to four games when they visit the Texas Rangers on Friday for the second contest of their four-game series. Kansas City rolled to an 8-2 victory in Thursday's opener and has outscored its opponents 18-5 during its season-best stretch.
NY Mets at Milwaukee 8:10 PM ET
After soaring to a three-game sweep over Arizona to begin their homestand, the Milwaukee Brewers landed with a thud in their series opener against the New York Mets. Milwaukee looks to bounce back Friday as it continues the four-game set a day after managing only five singles in a 5-0 loss to New York.
Cincinnati at Colorado 8:40 PM ET
The Colorado Rockies watched the bats go cold at the end of a nine-game road trip and will hope for a change in temperature when they return home Friday to host the Cincinnati Reds. The Rockies dropped four of the final five games on the trek, capped by a 3-0 shutout at the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.
Arizona at Oakland 9:35 PM ET
The Arizona Diamondbacks' nine-game road trip has been nothing short of a disaster thus far, but they look to turn things around Friday as they visit the Oakland Athletics for the opener of a three-game interleague series. Arizona began its trek by being swept in three-game sets at the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers, and it arrives in Oakland having lost seven straight overall and 13 of its last 14 contests.
San Diego at LA Dodgers 10:10 PM ET
The Los Angeles Dodgers are starting to turn things around after a disastrous start to the season and it appears that facing better teams has elevated their play. The Dodgers will look to make it three series wins in a row for the first time this season when they host the San Diego Padres on Friday night in the opener of a three-game set.
Minnesota at Seattle 10:10 PM ET
James Paxton has overcome a slow start to the season and looks to produce another solid performance when the Seattle Mariners host the Minnesota Twins on Friday in the opener of their three-game series. Paxton has posted a 1.70 ERA over his last five starts, a stretch that includes a no-hitter in addition to a career-best 16-strikeout effort.