MLB Games for 7/17

There are some great matchups today. Here are the games for the day.

American League

Toronto Blue Jays (45-45) vs. New York Yankees (55-34) 7:05 PM ET

Los Angeles Angels (49-41) vs. Detroit Tigers (47-43) 7:05 PM ET

Cleveland Indians (46-43) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (46-44) 7:10 PM ET

Chicago White Sox (49-40) vs. Boston Red Sox (46-44) 7:10 PM ET

Baltimore Orioles (46-43) vs. Minnesota Twins (37-52) 8:10 PM ET  

Seattle Mariners (38-53) vs. Kansas City Royals (38-50) 8:10 PM ET

Texas Rangers (54-35) vs. Oakland Athletics (46-43) 10:05 PM ET  

The Oakland Athletics hope to carry the momentum from their three-game sweep in Minnesota into their brief two-game home series against the American League West-leading Texas Rangers, which begins Tuesday. Oakland turned on the power at Target Field over the weekend, hitting a total of nine home runs during the series – including four in each of the final two contests. Yoenis Cespedes, Chris Carter, Seth Smith and Jonny Gomes belted two apiece against the Twins as the Athletics climbed within one-half game of the second AL wild-card spot.

Despite creeping into the playoff race by virtue of posting nine victories in its last 10 contests, Oakland still sits eight games behind Texas in the division. The Rangers, who took three of four from Oakland at home from June 28-July 1, have recovered nicely from a five-game losing streak, capturing four of their last five. Texas likely will be without catcher Yorvit Torrealba, whose wife is about to give birth, but could have its bullpen bolstered as relievers Alexi Ogando (groin) and Koji Uehara (lat muscle) are slated to be activated from the disabled list.

National League

New York Mets (46-43) vs. Washington Nationals (51-36) 7:05 PM ET

San Francisco Giants (49-40) vs. Atlanta Braves (49-39) 7:10 PM ET

Arizona Diamondbacks (43-46) vs. Cincinnati Reds (50-39) 7:10 PM ET

Miami Marlins (43-46) vs. Chicago Cubs (36-52) 8:05 PM ET

With 13 teams separated by 3 1/2 games fighting for the four wild card playoff spots in Major League Baseball, it figures to be a buyers’ market leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. The Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins, though, who begin a three-game series Tuesday at Wrigley Field, are not among the baker’s dozen battling for a postseason berth. The Cubs went 7-3 in their final 10 games prior to the All-Star Game and came out of the break with a three-game sweep of Arizona, but are 12 1/2 games out of the final wild card spot.

The Marlins, who swept the Cubs in April and outscored them 19-6 in the three games, are six out after gaining a split of their four-game series with a 5-3 victory over the Washington Nationals on Monday. They will face red-hot Chicago left-hander Travis Wood, who has won his last four starts. Wood will oppose Florida’s Anibal Sanchez, who has won only twice in his last 12 starts.

St. Louis Cardinals (47-43) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (42-47) 8:10 PM ET

Pittsburgh Pirates (49-40) vs. Colorado Rockies (35-54) 8:40 PM ET

Houston Astros (34-56) vs. San Diego Padres (36-55) 10:05 PM ET

Philadelphia Phillies (40-51) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (48-43) 10:10 PM ET

Check the latest MLB Scores and Odds.