Is it already June?
With summer (unofficially) underway, we're fully in the swing of things, and this season's storylines -- the haves and have-nots, favorites and underdogs, pleasant surprises and shocking disappointments -- are really making themselves known.
The days ahead should add plenty to the narrative. From a repeat showdown between National League powerhouses to the first Yankees-Red Sox series of 2025, here are five series to watch for the week of June 2.
Mets at Dodgers
4 games (Monday-Thursday)
Head to head: This will be the clubs' second matchup in the last two weeks -- the Mets took that first head-to-head series at Citi Field, two games to one, after dropping last year's season series, 2-4.
Storyline: A playoff series can't exactly be replicated in the regular season, but if you were really looking for a 2024 NLCS rematch, the Dodgers and Mets playing all seven of their regular season games within 13 days is a pretty faithful recreation. Rivalry aside, they actually have a lot in common -- their sparkling records and uncomfortably slim leads in their respective divisions make this series an unusually high-pressure one for early June.
Watch out for: Freddie Freeman. 15 years in, it sounds like old news, but he hit .410 last month with a 1.100 OPS. Definitely don't lose track of him amidst a sea of talented teammates -- he's just as likely to give you a shock.
Padres at Giants
4 games (Monday-Thursday)
Head to head: The Padres swept the division rivals' first meeting of 2025, a brief two-game midweek series in April; they also had the edge in their matchups with the Giants in 2024, taking the season series seven games to six.
Storyline: You know the big brother of the NL West. Now meet the division's rowdy middle children -- they're twins! Really, though, lurking two games behind the first-place Dodgers, the Padres are just a game up on the Giants, and the fact that this is still a three-team race heading into June is creating some unwelcome intrigue for the expected powerhouses. This series is, for the Padres, an opportunity to restore order; for the Giants, it's a first real shot to shake the "pretender" label.
Watch out for: With so many red-hot hitters in the National League this past month, some had to fly under the radar, but you'll have a chance in this series to see a couple of May's quieter top performers in Manny Machado and Heliot Ramos. Machado hit .340 with a .954 OPS, four homers and 12 RBIs in May; Ramos hit .347 with a 1.007 OPS, six homers and 18 RBIs.
Royals at Cardinals
3 games (Tuesday-Thursday)
Head to head: The Cards and Royals met over Rivalry Weekend just a few weeks ago; St. Louis won that series, two games to one, and held the Royals to just five runs across the three games.
Storyline: The Cardinals entered the season facing low expectations and were all but written off after an uninspiring April. Then they rattled off nine straight wins from May 4-12 and went on to have an MLB-best 19-8 May record, leapfrogging the Brewers and Reds in the standings. Now they can officially set their eyes on the first-place Cubs -- that is, if they can smoothly rebound from being outscored 19-4 in Arlington over the weekend.
Watch out for: Royals fans, the time has come. Top prospect Jac Caglianone, after meeting his recent promotion to Triple-A with six home runs in 11 games, has gotten the call to the bigs and will join the team in St. Louis. Regardless of your affiliation, you won't want to miss this debut -- the 22-year-old first baseman and outfielder has hit .323/.391/.600 with 15 home runs and 56 RBIs in 49 Minor League games in 2025.
Red Sox at Yankees
3 games (Friday-Sunday)
Head to head: The Red Sox and Yankees have alternated winning their season series back to 2020 -- New York has taken the even years and won seven of 13 matchups in 2024.
Storyline: This long-awaited reunion finds a pair of rivals in very different places. Although they had a shaky weekend at Dodger Stadium, the Yankees still coast in with a comfortable 5 1/2-game lead in the AL East. Meanwhile in Boston, a solid April gave way to a 11-17 May and an overwhelming number of games are being lost on the margins -- Red Sox relievers enter the week of June 2 not only leading baseball in blown saves (14) but also keeping the White Sox company as one of two remaining clubs with a successful save percentage below 50%.
Watch out for: Down Alex Bregman, who recently suffered a "significant" right quad strain, the Red Sox offense is back where it was a year ago -- leaning heavily on Rafael Devers. Fortunately, if anyone's up to this challenge, it's him; he hit .356/.468/.606 in May with seven homers and 33 RBIs.
Cubs at Tigers
3 games (Friday-Sunday)
Head to head: The Cubs have won the last three head-to-head matchups (in 2021, '23 and '24), all three-game series, two games to one.
Storyline: Could it be that despite the Dodgers and the Yankees, the Mets and the Phillies, the Cubs and Tigers are really the two best teams in baseball? It's more of a possibility than you might think -- the Tigers have had the best record in baseball for much of the season and the Cubs haven't been far behind.
Watch out for: Cubs top prospect Matt Shaw is making it clear that a reset at Triple-A was just what the doctor ordered. The 23-year-old was sent down after hitting .172/.294/.241 in his first stint in the Majors; since his May 19 return, he's 14-for-39 (.359) with five doubles, four RBIs and five stolen bases in 11 games.