FOX is home to a trio of MLB games Saturday, including a pair of compelling divisional bouts.
First, the Milwaukee Brewers host the Chicago Cubs. Then, the San Francisco Giants take on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Simultaneously, the Orioles will play host to the Rangers, just eight months removed from Texas sweeping Baltimore in their American League Division Series matchup.
Here’s everything you need to know about this weekend’s slate!
Cubs vs. Brewers (4:10 p.m. ET on FS1 and the FOX Sports app)
Probable starters: Javier Assad, Chicago (3.04 ERA) vs. Tobias Myers, Milwaukee (3.12 ERA)
Chicago has spiraled of late, slipping out of a playoff spot under the direction of former Brewers manager Craig Counsell. Starting pitching has kept Chicago competitive, as Jameson Taillon (2.90 ERA), rookie Shōta Imanaga (2.96 ERA) and the aforementioned Assad have pitched at a high level.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee has held a considerable grip on the NL Central for the bulk of the season. Catcher William Contreras is putting together an elite season, while outfielder Christian Yelich (.325/.407/.485 slash line) has continued last year’s career resurgence. Milwaukee’s bullpen boasts a combined 3.16 ERA, third in MLB.
Dodgers vs. Giants (7:15 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)
Probable starters: Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles (2.88 ERA) vs. TBD, San Francisco
The Dodgers are rolling across the board. Shohei Ohtani (25 home runs and 61 RBIs) is raking in his debut season with the franchise, while Teoscar Hernández (18 home runs and 55 RBIs) has also made a difference. On the hill, rookie Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.92 ERA), Gavin Stone (2.73 ERA), veteran James Paxton (3.39 ERA) and the aforementioned Glasnow have been terrific. As a whole, Los Angeles is second in both runs scored and overall team ERA.
On the other hand, the 2024 season has been a roller-coaster for the Giants, who have strung together extensive hot and cold streaks and find themselves fourth in the NL West. Patrick Bailey, Heliot Ramos and LaMonte Wade have been bright spots for San Francisco’s offense, while starters Logan Webb (3.16 ERA) and Jordan Hicks (3.36 ERA) have helped them stay in the wild-card hunt.
Rangers vs. Orioles (7:15 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)
Probable starters: Michael Lorenzen, Texas (3.04 ERA) vs. Cade Povich, Baltimore (4.15 ERA)
The defending World Series champions have been unable to pick up where they left off in October, as Texas is 37-43 and third in the AL West. Infielder Josh Smith (.294/.389/.462 slash line) has been among the few silver linings for the Rangers offense, while veterans Jon Gray (3.03 ERA), Nathan Eovaldi (3.45 ERA) and the aforementioned Lorenzen have held down the fort on the mound.
On the other hand, Baltimore has been a well-oiled machine this season. Gunnar Henderson (26 home runs, 57 RBIs and 1.005 OPS) is becoming a superstar, while Adley Rutschman and Jordan Westburg, among many others, contribute to an offense that leads MLB in runs scored. Meanwhile, ace and offseason pickup Corbin Burnes (2.35 ERA) has been as advertised for the Orioles, who rank third in team ERA.
Now, check out some pregame reading from across MLB courtesy of FOXSports.com!
MLB Roundtable: What do the Dodgers need most at the trade deadline? What should the confounding Giants and Rangers do? Have the Orioles been exposed a bit? Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar answer five burning questions.
Who should start the All-Star Game?: Kavner weighs in on the closest calls in the National League.
Paul Skenes’ historic pursuit: The Pirates phenom has somehow exceeded expectations since making his MLB debut in May. But is he on track to log one of the best rookie pitching seasons ever? We list the 10 best rookie pitching seasons of the past 50 years.
What’s wrong with the Yankees? Just two weeks ago, the Yankees had the best record in baseball. Now, they’ve lost nine of their past 11 games and four consecutive series. New York faces three glaring issues at the halfway point in the season, Thosar writes.
Inside Shohei Ohtani’s latest march toward history: The Dodgers superstar leads the NL in homers, OPS and WAR at the halfway point. Despite coming off major elbow surgery, this could be his most complete offensive season yet, Kavner writes.
The John Smoltz Interview: This week, the Hall of Famer and FOX on MLB analyst weighs in on Skenes’ rookie dominance, the Braves’ surge, the AL West race, Yankees vs. Orioles, and Ohtani’s two-way future.
Is the sticky substances policy working? Edwin Díaz‘s suspension has made MLB’s unscientific methodology regarding sticky substances a talking point again. And yet, pitchers aren’t as unhappy as one might think, Thosar writes.
Power Rankings: Is there a new No. 1 team in baseball? Ben Verlander offers his latest top 10.
Want more betting angles? Aaron Judge leads the way in the AL MVP odds, but he has company from Henderson. Meanwhile, a pair of Dodgers are in the top five of the NL MVP odds. Check out the latest World Series odds here, and stop by our betting hub for all the latest MLB odds!
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