The first full week back from the All-Star break will give us some banger matchups, including some that could have postseason implications -- or maybe even serve as postseason previews.
Consider: We'll see a divisional grudge match featuring two teams with something to prove. We'll see teams who went into the break hot and will look to keep the good times rolling. And we'll see teams hoping to start the run that leads to a serious playoff chase.
As the unofficial second half charges forward, here are five intriguing series to watch this week.
Yankees at Blue Jays: 3 games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head-to-head: The teams met for a three-game set at Yankee Stadium in late April, with the Bronx Bombers taking two of three and outscoring the Jays 18-7. Well, a lot's happened since then. Most notably, the Blue Jays swept the Yankees in a four-game series in Toronto and went on a 10-game winning streak that allowed them to leap over the Yankees and eventually build a three-game lead in the AL East.
Storyline: This is the biggest series of the week. It returns the Yanks to the scene of that earlier unpleasantness, and they'll no doubt want revenge. New York will hope to send a message that the four-game sweep from June 30-July 3 was an aberration. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, will want to send a message that the sweep was no fluke, and let the Yankees know that the path to the AL East crown will definitely run through Toronto. Oh yeah: They've won 10 straight home games, which ties the franchise record.
Watch out for: Big names doing big things -- especially Aaron Judge, who continues to make a very strong case for a second straight AL MVP Award. He leads all of baseball in a slew of major categories, including average (.352), on-base percentage (.458) and OPS (1.183). If the Yankees are to make a statement, he'll likely be one of the authors. For the Jays, July has been the George and Bo Show, as in sluggers George Springer and Bo Bichette. They've combined for a .352 average and 1.052 OPS this month. And that's not even taking into account Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who's always one swing from going on a tear. Related: He hit a long homer on Sunday.
Astros at Diamondbacks: 3 games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head-to-head: This is the first and only meeting of the teams this season. The Astros won two of three in Houston in their only meeting last season. Arizona leads the all-time series, 80-69.
Storyline: It's getting awfully close to do-or-die time for the D-backs in their quest to reach the postseason. They enter the week with four teams to overcome in the NL Wild Card race and have hovered around .500 for most of the season. A strong showing against the AL West-leading Astros could put them on the right path.
Watch out for: Jose Altuve. Since a 25-game stretch from late April to late May in which he hit just .177 with one homer and a .505 OPS, the nine-time All-Star was hitting .320 with 13 homers and a .977 OPS entering Sunday. From July 1 to the All-Star break, he hit .391 with a 1.227 OPS. When Altuve's locked in, he's as dangerous as any hitter in baseball.
Brewers at Mariners: 3 games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head-to-head: This will be the first and only matchup between Milwaukee and Seattle this season. The Brewers, who won last season's series 2-1, lead the all-time series 128-120.
Storyline: Can the Brewers stay hot? They are on a 10-game winning streak and their 34 wins since May 25 are the most in baseball. Their scorching play has brought them into a tie with the Cubs atop the NL Central. Meanwhile, the Mariners are right in the thick of things in the AL Wild Card hunt and are within shouting distance of the Astros atop the AL West. Both teams will look to continue gaining ground.
Watch out for: The Miz vs. Big Dumper. Jacob Misiorowski vs. Cal Raleigh. Immoveable object vs. unstoppable force. Whatever you call it, it should be pure cinema. Misiorowski throws 100-plus mph gas and Raleigh, fresh off his Home Run Derby championship, is on pace for 60-plus homers. Misiorowski is scheduled to start Tuesday's game, so mark your calendar accordingly.
Padres at Cardinals: 4 games (Thursday-Sunday)
Head-to-head: Somewhat surprisingly, this is the first meeting between the teams in 2025. But they'll play each other seven times over the next 10 days. The Cardinals won last season's series, 4-3.
Storyline: Both teams are right in the thick of the NL Wild Card hunt, but both need to find more consistency as the second half unfolds. The Padres haven't had a winning month since April and haven't had a winning streak longer than three games since May 6. Meanwhile, the Cardinals turned their season around with a 19-6 May, but have gone 18-24 since then. This series is a good chance for one of them to break the string of mediocrity and get things moving in the right direction.
Watch out for: Will one of the teams set the tone early? Neither San Diego nor St. Louis has swung the bat well in July. The Cardinals' .681 OPS for the month ranked 10th in the NL entering Sunday, while the Padres' .673 OPS ranked 12th. On the pitching side, the Cardinals have been near the bottom of the NL in ERA this month, while the Padres have fared much better. If one team can jump out to an early lead and gain control, it could go a long way toward defining the series.
Dodgers at Red Sox: 3 games (Friday-Sunday)
Head-to-head: Continuing a theme, this will be the first and only meeting between the teams this season. The Dodgers swept the series 3-0 last season.
Storyline: This could very well be a World Series preview. The Red Sox had their 10-game winning streak snapped on Friday against the Cubs, but they are 13-3 in their past 16 games. Their hot stretch has put them right in line for an AL Wild Card spot. The Dodgers, meanwhile, went into the break on a 2-7 skid, and they haven't exactly started the second half on fire. But don't expect that to last long. They're still the class of the NL.
Watch out for: Shohei Ohtani's Fenway success. Attach an asterisk to that because it's still a relatively small sample size, but Ohtani has thrived at Fenway on both sides of the ball. As a pitcher, he's allowed one earned run in nine innings (two starts) and has 14 strikeouts. As a hitter, he's batting .310 with an .810 OPS in 62 plate appearances. We don't know yet whether he'll pitch in the series, but he could definitely take advantage of the Green Monster and do damage -- like he literally did in 2022, when he knocked a number off the scoreboard.