The Los Angeles Dodgers will try tonight to extend their winning streak to nine, when they start their series on the road against the Atlanta Braves.
Dodgers, the winningest team in baseball (74-31), will send Japanese starter Kenta Maeda to the mound. The Dodgers lead the National League West Division over the Arizona Diamondbacks (60-45) and the Colorado Rockies (60-46).
After 16 starts, Maeda, who has struck out 84 players in 88.0 innings, has a 9-4 record with a 4.09 ERA.
For the Braves, rookie Lucas Sims will make his big league debut after being promoted from Triple-A, where he had a 7-4 record and 3.75 ERA in 115.1 innings pitched.
Other attractive matches of the night will be the A.L East leading New York Yankees host the Detroit Tigers, while the Boston Red Sox host the Cleveland Indians (57-47), leaders of the A.L Central.
The Yankees (57-47) and Red Sox (58-49) are locked in a tight race for the crown of the division, but they are headed in different directions. While the Yankees have won eight of their last 10 games the Red Sox have struggled to a 4-6 record in their last 10.
Meanwhile the Houston Astros (69-36) will also try to increase their lead in the A.L West, when they host the Tampa Bay Rays (54-53).
The Astros hold the best record in the American league, but they have been criticized by fans and the media for failing to make any significant additions before yesterday’s trade deadline, which could end costing them in the playoffs if they have to face a team like the Yankees, which added ace pitcher Sonny Gray and third baseman Todd Frazier, among others.
In the N.L East the Washington Nationals (63-41) visit the Miami Marlins to try and increase their already comfortable 14-game division lead.
In other games, the N.L Central leading Chicago Cubs (56-48) will host the Diamondbacks, the Cincinnati Reds visit the Pittsburgh Pirates, while the St. Louis Cardinals travel to Milwaukee to play the Brewers.
