MLB Games for 8/21

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

American League

Toronto Blue Jays (56-65) vs. Detroit Tigers (64-57) 7:05 PM ET

Los Angeles Angels (62-60) vs. Boston Red Sox (59-63) 7:10 PM ET

Five months ago, anyone looking ahead at the schedule would have circled this week’s three-game set between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels as one with potential playoff implications. As it happens, the Red Sox and Angels enter the series neck-and-neck in the battle for most disappointing team in the American League. At four games below .500, Boston holds the pole position for that dubious honor.

Los Angeles had a chance to make some noise in the playoff race with a four-game home series against wild card-leading Tampa Bay over the weekend but was demolished in four straight games by a combined 37-14. That leaves the Angels four games out of the second wild card spot. The Red Sox are three games south of that and fired pitching coach Bob McClure on Monday with the rotation a particular point of concern. That pitching staff will have to deal with the likes of Albert Pujols and Mike Trout, who has hit in seven straight and homered and each of the last two games. 

Kansas City Royals (54-67) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (68-54) 7:10 PM ET

Baltimore Orioles (66-56) vs. Texas Rangers (71-50) 8:05 PM ET

New York Yankees (72-50) vs. Chicago White Sox (66-55) 8:10 PM ET

Minnesota Twins (51-70) vs. Oakland Athletics (65-56) 10:05 PM ET

Cleveland Indians (54-68) vs. Seattle Mariners (59-64) 10:10 PM ET

National League

Cincinnati Reds (74-49) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (57-65) 7:05 PM ET

Atlanta Braves (70-52) vs. Washington Nationals (76-46) 7:05 PM ET

Stephen Strasburg is fifth in the majors in strikeouts and 13th in ERA, but Washington’s star pitcher has struggled against Atlanta. Strasburg is 2-1 against the Braves this season, but sports a 4.87 ERA and has benefited from big run support in his games against the team chasing the Nationals for the National League East crown. Washington pushed its lead to six games with a 5-4, 13-inning victory in Monday’s series opener.

Atlanta sends Paul Maholm to the mound Tuesday for the middle game of the three-game set. Acquired from the Cubs at the trade deadline, Maholm is 2-1 with a 1.57 ERA in three starts for the Braves. Atlanta finished 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position in the opener, and the Nationals pushed across the game-winning run on an error by Atlanta second baseman Dan Uggla.

Colorado Rockies (47-73) vs. New York Mets (57-65) 7:10 PM ET  

Chicago Cubs (47-74) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (55-66) 8:10 PM ET

Houston Astros (39-83) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (65-56) 8:15 PM ET

Miami Marlins (56-67) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (62-60) 9:40 PM ET

Pittsburgh Pirates (67-55) vs. San Diego Padres (54-70) 10:05 PM ET

San Francisco Giants (67-55) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (67-56) 10:10 PM ET

Check the latest MLB Scores and Odds