MLB Games for 9/3

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

American League

Cleveland Indians (56-78) vs. Detroit Tigers (72-61) 1:05 PM ET

Baltimore Orioles (74-59) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (60-73) 1:07 PM ET

New York Yankees (76-57) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (73-61) 1:10 PM ET

The New York Yankees are slowly watching their once-mammoth lead in the American League East become evaporate. The Yankees have dropped eight of their last 12 – including two of three to Baltimore this past weekend – to see their advantage dwindle to two games over the second-place Orioles. The Yankees may get a boost should slugger Alex Rodriguez return to the lineup Monday as the club opens a three-game set at the Tampa Bay Rays. Rodriguez has been sidelined since July 24 with a broken left hand.

The Rays are laying in the weeds just 3 1/2 games behind the Yankees for the division lead and 1 1/2 behind the Orioles for the second wild card. While offense was the issue for New York in its weekend series, Tampa Bay amassed a season-high 18 hits in Sunday's 9-4 victory over Toronto. The Rays are returning home after a 3-4 road trip.

Texas Rangers (79-54) vs. Kansas City Royals (60-73) 2:10 PM ET

Los Angeles Angels (71-63) vs. Oakland Athletics (76-57) 4:05 PM ET

Boston Red Sox (62-73) vs. Seattle Mariners (65-70) 4:10 PM ET   

Minnesota Twins (55-79) vs. Chicago White Sox (72-61) 7:10 PM ET

National League

Chicago Cubs (51-82) vs. Washington Nationals (81-52) 1:05 PM ET

Colorado Rockies (55-77) vs. Atlanta Braves (75-59) 1:10 PM ET

Milwaukee Brewers (65-68) vs. Miami Marlins (59-75) 1:10 PM ET  

Philadelphia Phillies (64-70) vs. Cincinnati Reds (82-53) 1:10 PM ET

Houston Astros (41-93) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (70-63) 1:35 PM ET

New York Mets (64-70) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (72-62) 2:15 PM ET

Arizona Diamondbacks (66-69) vs. San Francisco Giants (76-58) 4:05 PM ET   

San Diego Padres (62-73) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (72-63) 8:10 PM ET

Adrian Gonzalez faces his former team when the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a three-game series against the improving San Diego Padres on Monday. Gonzalez has struggled since being traded from Boston on Aug. 25, but he delivered a game-winning double Sunday to keep the Dodgers 4 1/2 games behind National League West-leading San Francisco while moving one half-game back of St. Louis for the second wild-card spot. The Padres’ playoff hopes faded long ago, but they’ve been one of the top teams in the league since June 12 while going 42-32. The Dodgers are 8-4 against the Padres this season, including 4-2 at Dodger Stadium.

For the Dodgers to build on Sunday’s dramatic 5-4 win over Arizona, they’ll need to find a way to slow down Padres third baseman Chase Headley. Since Aug. 1, Headley is hitting .328 with 11 homers and 37 RBIs, and he belted his 23rd homer and drove in a career-high six runs in Sunday’s 11-10 loss at Colorado. While the Dodgers wait to learn more about the status of closer Kenley Jansen (irregular heartbeat), manager Don Mattingly has turned to Brandon League and Ronald Belisario. League was largely ineffective in the first few weeks after being traded from Seattle on July 30, but he’s pitched seven scoreless innings since Aug. 21, allowing just two hits (2-for-23) with 11 strikeouts.

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