Jay Sanin

The rubber game of a three-game set at Dodger Stadium arrives Thursday night with the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers dead even at 1-1 in the series after a pair of wild, homer-filled games. Seattle stole the opener 7-6 behind a five-home-run outburst, only to watch Los Angeles answer 4-2 the following night as Shohei Ohtani reached base four times. Now it comes down to a finale that pits a couple of inconsistent starters against one another, with the Dodgers still holding a comfortable lead in the NL West and the Mariners holding onto hope in the AL West picture.

The rubber game of a three-game set at Dodger Stadium arrives Thursday night with the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers dead even at 1-1 in the

The Boston Red Sox travel across the country to open a three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Friday, and even with a 12-game gap in the standings, the betting market treats this one as close to a coin flip. That gap between the win totals and the odds board is exactly what makes this series opener worth a second look before first pitch at 10:10 p.m. ET. Here, we break it all down and give you our pick in the betting markets.

The New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs continue their weekend series at Wrigley Field on Saturday night in a game featuring two clubs firmly in the postseason race. New York opened the series with a 2-0 victory behind an outstanding performance from Will Warren, while Chicago will look to even the series before Sunday's finale. Both teams enter Saturday with identical 62-48 records, making this one of the marquee interleague games on the MLB schedule. The Yankees have continued to win despite injuries to several key hitters, while the Cubs have remained one of the National League's most productive offensive clubs throughout the season.

The Boston Red Sox roll into Dodger Stadium on a four-game win streak and having already taken the first two games of this weekend series, putting a proud Los Angeles club on upset alert as the home team tries to avoid a series sweep on Sunday Night Baseball. Jake Bennett takes the mound for Boston carrying a sparkling 2.74 ERA, while a Dodgers rotation already missing Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and several bullpen arms turns to Emmet Sheehan, who has struggled to a 4.95 ERA this year. With the Red Sox 34-22 on the road and riding a hot streak at the plate, this matchup between postseason contenders should be an interesting one in LA.

The Dodgers roll into Wrigley Field as one of baseball's most complete rosters, and Monday night's series opener against the Chicago Cubs is an important one for two National League title contenders. Los Angeles sends out Justin Wrobleski, a breakout arm who has turned into one of the better performers in the National League, while Chicago counters with veteran lefty Matthew Boyd, who has been steady but a step behind his opponent all year. With the Dodgers at 69-43 and the Cubs at 63-49, this is the game of the night on the diamond on paper.

The Los Angeles Dodgers arrive at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night looking to snap a four-game skid, and they're turning to a brand-new arm to do it. Tarik Skubal makes his Dodgers debut after being acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline, taking the ball against a Chicago Cubs club that just handed Los Angeles a 10-5 beatdown on Monday behind two-run homers from Seiya Suzuki, Carson Kelly and Kevin Alcántara. The two-time defending World Series champions have dropped six of their last eight games and lost their grip on the best record in baseball to Milwaukee, while the Cubs have won six of their last ten and are fighting to hold onto the top National League wild card spot.

The Pittsburgh Pirates continue a critical road series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night with plenty at stake for both clubs. Pittsburgh is trying to remain within striking distance of the National League Wild Card race, while Milwaukee enters the game with the best record in baseball after reaching 70 wins faster than any team in franchise history. Milwaukee has consistently found ways to win close games, and with another quality starter taking the mound, the Brewers are once again in a favorable position.

The Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals close out their three-game set at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday night, with Kansas City having already claimed the first two games of the series. Minnesota sits at 56-59 and remains in the thick of the American League Central chase, while the Royals at 48-67 are playing out the string with little to lose. Despite the standings gap, the betting market has this one as a near coin flip, and a pitching-driven, lower-scoring affair looks like the most probable outcome.

The Tampa Bay Rays roll into Seattle carrying the best record in the American League and a five-game cushion atop the AL East, while the Mariners try to climb back into wild card position after a rough stretch that has them below .500. Friday night's opener at T-Mobile Park sends two pitchers with home-state ties to the mound, and the early number suggests bettors see this one as tighter than the standings alone would indicate. With a strong Tampa Bay rotation arm on the bump and Seattle looking for a spark in front of the home crowd, this AL showdown is an important one in the playoff picture.