The Orioles are just two games down in the loss column for best record in the American League as they open their penultimate series of the season at Yankee Stadium. Wei-Yin Chen faces Michael Pineda. A win by Chen would give him 17 for the season and tie him for second with Corey Kluber and Max Scherzer. With just six walks issued this season, Pineda holds opponents to a .240 OBP.

The final series this season between the Astros and the Rangers features two pitchers with a handful of starts and low ERAs. Last season rookie Nick Tropeano takes on Derek Holland. Tropeano was a high strikeout, low walk pitcher in the minors. He struck out nine and walked four in 10 innings, so half of that worked in the majors. Holland has not allowed a home run in 27 1/3 inning and gave up just three runs.

The Oakland Athletics can’t catch the Angels as they open their series by the bay, but the Athletics can try to knock the Angels off the top spot in the AL. C.J. Wilson faces Jeff Samardzija. Wilson’s OBP goes from .328 at home to .366 on the road. Samardzija for the season walked just 43 batters in 205 2/3 innings, easily the best single season rate of his career, and well below his overall career rate of 3.3 BB per 9 IP.

Finally, the Dodgers magic number to clinch the NL West is three as they open a three-game series against the Giants in Los Angeles. The Giants need to win two of the three games to stay alive in the race for the division championship, but in reality they need to sweep and get some help to win the division. Old veterans Jake Peavy and Dan Haren open the series. Peavy owns a 2.16 ERA since joining the Giants, as he greatly cut down on his home runs allowed compared to pitching with the Red Sox. Haren pitched better down the stretch, with a 2.47 ERA in his last eight games. He walked just eight batters and allowed 34 hits in his last 47 1/3 innings.

Enjoy!