July 4 MLB Preview: Astros-Dodgers World Series Rematch Highlights Big Weekend

The Yankees and Mets will meet in a subway series, and the White Sox and Rockies will square off in a clash of baseball’s two worst teams.

The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers in Los Angeles on March 27, 2025. Mark J. Terrill/AP Photo

The Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers meet in a 2017 World Series rematch for the July 4 weekend, which is full of key matchups for the national holiday.

Houston (52–34) and Los Angeles (55–32) come into the series at Dodger Stadium with the best records in their respective divisions. Both teams have been hot as of late—the Dodgers have gone 8–2 in their past 10 games, and the Astros are 14–4 since June 11.

Saturday’s game will likely feature Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani in his fourth pitching outing of the season on his 31st birthday. Ohtani has a 2.25 ERA, and he threw 101.7 mph in his last outing.

At the plate, Ohtani is batting .286 with 30 home runs and 56 RBI this season. The three-time MVP has also been a threat on the base paths with 12 stolen bases.

For the Astros, third baseman Isaac Paredes has been strong with a .253 batting average, 17 home runs, and 46 RBI. The Astros also have one of the best closers in the league in left-hander Josh Hader, who has 24 saves and a 1.86 ERA.

Yankees and Mets in Subway Series

The New York Yankees and New York Mets will compete at Citi Field in Queens for the teams’ second Subway Series of the season.

The Yankees (48–38) enter the weekend tied for the AL East lead with the Toronto Blue Jays (48–38), and need to get back on track after a 4–6 stretch over the past 10 games. The Mets (49–38) also need to get on track amid a 3–7 stretch in the past 10 games, leaving them two games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies (51–36).

Outfielder Aaron Judge has been going strong for the Yankees this season with a .363 batting average, 31 home runs, and 70 RBI. Former Yankees outfielder and current Mets star Juan Soto has a .257 batting average, 20 home runs, and 47 RBI.

Phillies, Reds Meet in Key NL Matchup

The Phillies and Cincinnati Reds (45–42) meet in a series full of postseason implications.

Cincinnati plays in a stacked NL Central and sits in fourth place behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs (51–35), Milwaukee Brewers (48–38), and St. Louis Cardinals (47–41). The Phillies come in at 5–5 in the past 10 games, but Philadelphia has been tough at home, posting a 28–15 mark.

Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz has a breakout season going with a .275 batting average, 18 home runs, and 58 RBI. Phillies shortstop Trea Turner has had a strong start with a .297 average, 11 home runs, and 39 RBI.

Cubs, Cardinals in Divisional Battle

Chicago can cement its lead in the NL Central this weekend, but the Cardinals will look to keep that from happening.

Both teams come in looking for consistency amid 5–5 stretches.

Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki has been solid with a .261 average, 23 home runs, and 73 RBI. Cardinals first baseman Wilson Contreras has been tough to stop with a .248 average, 11 home runs, and 51 RBI.

Giants, Athletics Meet in a Shoebox

Once a skip apart in the Bay Area, the San Francisco Giants (46–41) will visit the Athletics (36–53)  in Sacramento at 14,014-seat Sutter Health Park. That’s the A’s temporary home amid a move from Oakland to Las Vegas, to be completed in 2028.

Giants pitcher Justin Verlander (0–5) will seek his first win of the season in Friday’s series opener. Verlander has a 4.26 ERA and 55 strikeouts this season.

Left-handed pitcher J.P. Sears will throw for the A’s in the opener. Sears (6–7) has a 5.09 ERA and 67 strikeouts this year.

Someone Has to Win

The Chicago White Sox (28–58) and Colorado Rockies (19–67) will meet in a matchup of two of the worst teams in baseball.

Chicago will start one of the team’s few bright spots in pitcher Adrian Houser for Friday’s opener. Houser (3–2) has a 1.90 ERA and 31 strikeouts this season.

Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman has been a bright spot for a team that’s struggling on historical proportions. Goodman has a .286 average with 16 home runs and 50 RBI.

Elsewhere

The Boston Red Sox (43–45) look to gain momentum in the AL East against the Washington Nationals (36–50), and the Blue Jays look to grab the AL East lead against the Los Angeles Angels (42–43). Meanwhile the Detroit Tigers (54–33) can further establish the AL Central lead against the Cleveland Guardians (40–44), and the Minnesota Twins (41–46) look to stay in the hunt against the Tampa Bay Rays (48–39), a team that’s vying for AL East supremacy.

Other Interleague Matchups

July 4 often features interleague matchups, and this year is no different.

Besides the aforementioned series between leagues, MLB has four other interleague series going. The Baltimore Orioles (37–49) and Atlanta Braves (39–46) meet in a matchup between eastern divisions, and the Seattle Mariners (45-41) look to stay in the AL West race with the Pittsburgh Pirates (38–50) coming to town.  Also out west, the Texas Rangers (43–44) visit the San Diego Padres (46–40), and the Kansas City Royals (40–47) visit the Arizona Diamondbacks (43–43).

Lastly, the Brewers face the Miami Marlins (39–46) in what would have been an interleague matchup at one time. The Brewers moved from the AL to the NL in 1998, the second year of interleague play.