NL Central clash among 5 series to watch this week

4:15 PM UTC

It’s always fun when the Cubs and Brewers face off, but their upcoming series at American Family Field should be something special.

The two National League Central rivals enter Monday’s series opener with identical 62-43 records, tied for both first place in the division and the best record in the NL. With every game meaningful in the postseason race, this week’s three-game set between two top contenders will be an entertaining one.

Here are five series to watch this week, highlighted by the Cubs-Brewers clash in Milwaukee.

Cubs at Brewers: 3 games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head-to-head: It’s late July, but these two division rivals have only played five of their 13 scheduled games against each other. The Cubs won the first two of a three-game set in early May in Milwaukee, and the two clubs split a pair in June at Wrigley Field. The middle game of that series in Chicago was postponed due to weather and will be made up during an Aug. 18 doubleheader -- the first day of what is now a FIVE-game series between the two. Last season, the Brewers went 8-5 against the Cubs en route to the NL Central crown.

Storyline: Can the Cubs punch back? The Brewers have been one of MLB’s hottest teams for a while, leading the NL with a 15-6 (.714) record so far in July. After the Cubs had sole possession of first place in the Central for more than three months straight, the Brewers finally forced a tie atop the division July 20. If Milwaukee can maintain its momentum on its home field, it could be an early indicator of who will come out on top in the division when all is said and done. But that won’t come easy against a Cubs team with the best run differential in the Majors (+116).

Watch out for: Brewers starter . “The Miz” said his first career start against the Cubs on Monday will be “just another game,” but the flamethrowing rookie will certainly be fired up for it. Named to the NL All-Star team after just five career starts, Misiorowski has a 2.45 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings. But is he prepared to handle a Cubs lineup that includes , , and ? It should be fun to find out.

Mets at Padres: 3 games (Monday-Wednesday)

Head-to-head: These two NL contenders have yet to face off this season, with their other meeting scheduled for Sept. 16-18 in New York. Last year, the Mets got the better of the Padres, sweeping San Diego in June at Citi Field and winning two of three in August at Petco Park.

Storyline: This could be a key series for NL postseason seeding, let alone its impact on the NL East and West races. The Mets (61-44) enter the three-game set in first place in the East, but the Phillies aren’t far behind. The Padres (57-49), meanwhile, trail the Dodgers by four games in the West. Last season, both the Mets and Padres were Wild Card teams, with San Diego earning the NL’s No. 4 seed and New York getting the No. 6 seed. They ended up separated by just four games, so any head-to-head matchup can be a major chance to gain ground.

Watch out for: Padres 3B . The veteran is scorching hot at the plate, batting .326 with a .997 OPS in July after recording multiple hits in each of his past five games. Machado’s 4-for-5 showing on Sunday pushed his season OPS up to .866, his best since 2022. In his 14th season, Machado has been the best hitter in a talented San Diego lineup.

Rangers at Mariners: 4 games (Thursday-Sunday)

Head-to-head: These two American League West rivals will be facing off in their fourth and final series of the season, and the Rangers will be looking for this one to go their way. The Mariners have won each of the first three series between the two clubs, including a three-game sweep at T-Mobile Park from April 11-13. Seattle took two of three in both road series against Texas (May 2-4 and June 27-29) and would love to improve on its 7-2 record against its division foe.

Storyline: Can the Rangers keep it going? Texas is red hot with wins in six straight games and nine of its past 10, entering Monday in a tie with the Mariners for second place in the AL West at 56-50, four games behind the Astros. It’s the first time the Rangers have even had a share of second place in the division since May 20. For the Mariners, meanwhile, this series will end a string of 11 straight games against AL West opponents. The four-game set in Seattle could be huge in deciding an AL Wild Card spot or propelling one club closer to first place in the division.

Watch out for: Mariners center fielder . It’s the second half of the season, so it’s little surprise Rodríguez is heating up right now. He homered four times in the first three games of Seattle’s four-game set in Anaheim over the weekend, and he’s batting .286 with an .889 OPS since the All-Star break. If Rodríguez can stay hot in a lineup that includes and recent trade acquisition , the Mariners offense will be tough to stop.

Tigers at Phillies: 3 games (Friday-Sunday)

Head-to-head: As Interleague rivals, these two clubs haven’t matched up much -- fewer than 30 times in their history, in fact. The Phillies have been the more successful of the two in their recent head-to-head matchups, sweeping the Tigers in 2023 in Philly and winning two of three in June 2024 in Detroit.

Storyline: Can the Tigers right the ship? A recent downturn has dampened spirits in Detroit, which has won just two of its past 14 games. That includes a 10-0 rout of the Blue Jays on Sunday, which could be the start of a turnaround for a team that entered July tied with the Dodgers for the best record in MLB. The Tigers will first host the D-backs for three games before visiting a Phillies team coming off a 4-2 week against the Red Sox and Yankees.

Watch out for: Phillies left-hander . The Phils’ scheduled starter Monday on the road against the White Sox, Sánchez is lined up to pitch in Sunday’s series finale against the Tigers. The southpaw is in the midst of a true breakout year, owning a 2.40 ERA (third in the National League) with 134 strikeouts in 124 innings, and he’s coming off a 12-strikeout complete game against the Red Sox. A matchup between Sánchez and a potent Tigers lineup led by and should be a treat.

Astros at Red Sox: 3 games (Friday-Sunday)

Head-to-head: The Astros and Red Sox haven’t faced off since last August, a month that featured all six matchups between the two. Boston swept a three-game series at Fenway Park before losing two of three at Daikin Park. This year, all six games between these two clubs will again come in August -- after this series in Boston, they’ll play three in Houston from Aug. 11-13.

Storyline: will face the Astros for the first time since signing a three-year, $120 million deal with the Red Sox over the offseason. The third baseman has been excellent in his first year with Boston, entering Monday batting .298 with a .919 OPS. Bregman missed 43 games due to a right quad strain but returned before the All-Star break and hasn’t missed a beat. He won’t be making his return to Houston until later in August, but this series against his old club at Fenway will be a big one.

Watch out for: Astros SS . The All-Star shortstop remains on the injured list with a rib fracture, but he has been facing live pitching and could return by Friday’s series opener. In the midst of a major breakout year, Peña is batting .322 with an .867 OPS. A power-speed threat from the leadoff spot, the 2022 ALCS and World Series MVP will give Houston’s lineup a new dynamic -- if he returns in time for this key series.