The Mets and Red Sox start the day with a match-up of potential Cy Young Award winners, with Jacob deGrom facing Chris Sale. The Mets ace is pulling a Nolan Ryan, leading the league in ERA with a losing record. deGrom improved every aspect of his game this season, especially reducing his home runs allowed from 28 to nine. Sale still needs 15 more innings to qualify for the ERA title at the end of the season, but the Red Sox plan to go easy on him the rest of the way so he is 100% for the post-season.

Oakland’s magic number for a playoff slot is seven as they face the Rays. Mike Fiers takes on Diego Castillo. Fiers proved to be a hot pickup for the Athletics, going 5-0 with a 2.72 ERA in seven starts since coming over from the Tigers. He has allowed eight home runs in his 39 1/3 Athletics innings, accounting for 10 of the 12 runs he allowed. Castillo makes his seventh opening start in this last 19 Rays games. He walked two and struck out 16 in eight appearances in that time.

The Diamondbacks are desperate for a win as they send Zack Greinke against the Astros and Justin Verlander. Geinke pitched well in interleague play this season, 2-2 with a 2.90 ERA in five starts. He did allowed six home runs in 31 innings, however. Verlander blows away NL teams with a 1.75 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 25 2/3 innings. Despite those great numbers, he is 2-2 in those four games.

Finally, the Dodgers go for a sweep of the Cardinals as Ross Stripling faces Adam Wainwright in the Sunday night game. Stripling walked just 18 batters in 113 2/3 innings this season, helping him to a 2.61 ERA. Wainwright makes his second start after a four-month stint on the disabled list. He did not walk a batter in five innings during his first start, but did allow two home runs. Note that Yasiel Puig needs to home runs tonight to tie former Dodgers outfielder Shawn Green‘s record of seven home runs in three consecutive games.

Enjoy!