MLB Games for 9/18

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

American League

Toronto Blue Jays (66-79) vs. New York Yankees (83-63) 7:05 PM ET

Minnesota Twins (60-87) vs. Cleveland Indians (61-86) 7:05 PM ET

Oakland Athletics (84-62) vs. Detroit Tigers (77-69) 7:05 PM ET

Boston Red Sox (67-81) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (78-69) 7:10 PM ET

Chicago White Sox (80-66) vs. Kansas City Royals (66-80) 8:10 PM ET

Texas Rangers (87-59) vs. Los Angeles Angels (80-67) 10:05 PM ET

The Texas Rangers are desperately trying to avoid what the Los Angeles Angels are equally desperate to attain. When the teams open a three-game series Tuesday in Anaheim, the Angels will be focused on overtaking the Baltimore Orioles for the second wild card slot in the American League. Los Angeles trails the Orioles by three games with 15 left to play and will need to take advantage of its upcoming nine-game homestand.

Texas owns the best record in the American League and is on track for its third straight West Division title and the top seed in the AL playoffs. Still, the Rangers lead the division by only three games over the relentless Oakland Athletics and the goal is to avoid a late-season swoon that could land the team in the one-game wild card playoff. Texas plays 13 of its final 16 games against the Athletics and Angels.

Baltimore Orioles (83-64) vs. Seattle Mariners (70-78) 10:10 PM ET

National League

Los Angeles Dodgers (76-71) vs. Washington Nationals (89-57) 7:05 PM ET

The Washington Nationals attempt to end a three-game losing streak and move closer to clinching the National League East when they open a three-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday. The Nationals are five games ahead of the Atlanta Braves and their magic number for at least clinching a wild-card spot stands at three. The Dodgers are one game behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL’s second wild card.

Los Angeles swept a three-game series from the Nationals in late April in the only previous meetings this season. The Dodgers fear they have seen the last of ace Clayton Kershaw this season. Kershaw is slated to get a second opinion on his inflamed right hip Tuesday and might be facing season-ending surgery. Washington has lost nine of its last 11 games against the Dodgers. The Nationals were swept by Atlanta over the weekend, a development that helped keep the Braves somewhat close in the NL East.

Milwaukee Brewers (74-72) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (74-72) 7:05 PM ET

Atlanta Braves (85-63) vs. Miami Marlins (65-83) 7:10 PM ET  

Philadelphia Phillies (74-74) vs. New York Mets (66-81) 7:10 PM ET

Cincinnati Reds (88-59) vs. Chicago Cubs (58-89) 8:05 PM ET

Houston Astros (48-99) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (77-70) 8:15 PM ET

San Diego Padres (71-76) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (72-74) 9:40 PM ET

Colorado Rockies (58-88) vs. San Francisco Giants (84-63) 10:15 PM ET

Check the latest MLB Scores and Odds