Perhaps no sports league is as steeped in tradition as Major League Baseball. It’s been around for over 150 years, and some traditions date back to the establishing of the majors back in the 1800s.
But a new baseball tradition is upon us. Rivalry Weekend, which started last year and consists of bitter rivals facing off, starts Friday.
Every team will play one of its fiercest rivals, and while some of the matchups may make a fan say, “Wait, they are our rival?” others are unquestionably some of the most combustible series matchups MLB could trot out. Here are the top series to watch.
Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox
No MLB rivalry may have as many nicknames as this one, from the Crosstown Series to the Windy City Showdown, and to the surprise of many, it will actually be a showdown this year. The Cubs are as good as expected, as they’ve already posted two 10-game win streaks, becoming the first club since 1955 to post multiple such streaks before their 40th game.But the White Sox’s success is a huge surprise, considering no team had more losses over the last three seasons. They entered play Wednesday just two games out of the AL Central lead, with much of that due to MLB rookie Munetaka Murakami. The Japanese import ranks second in the AL with 15 home runs as he’s quickly adjusted to MLB pitching in his first year in the states.
San Diego Padres at Seattle Mariners
This West Coast rivalry is just about as even as could be—through 140 all-time meetings, Seattle has won 52 percent of the matchups. This series will be loaded with stars, including five-tool outfielders Fernando Tatis Jr. and Julio Rodriguez, future Hall of Famer Manny Machado, and reigning home run champ Cal Raleigh. These teams play for the Vedder Cup, a guitar-themed trophy named after musician Eddie Vedder, who was raised in San Diego and founded the band Pearl Jam in Seattle.Los Angeles Dodgers at Los Angeles Angels
The two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers are still a juggernaut, while the Angels are still cellar dwellers, so the Freeway Series hasn’t changed much. One difference is the re-emergence of Mike Trout, who has battled multiple injuries and injured list stints over the last five years.Trout is again an MVP candidate and looks as though he’s having fun again on the diamond. Speaking of MVPs, this game has a bunch: Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman have a combined nine MVP awards. By the end of the year, it shouldn’t be surprising if one of the four gives the group a nice, round 10 trophies.
Miami Marlins at Tampa Bay Rays
On the surface, this matchup wouldn’t seem to draw much attention outside Florida, but this should be a compelling Citrus Series for multiple reasons. One is that the teams have alternated wins and losses over their last six meetings, and each of their last three contests has been decided by one run. Additionally, Tampa has the best record in the American League, while the Marlins are at least competitive. Miami is the only team in MLB with two players hitting at least .310, with the middle-infield duo of Xavier Edwards and Otto Lopez.Also, fans are in store for possibly the best pitching matchup of the entire weekend on Saturday, when the Marlins will trot out Sandy Alcantara (3–2, 3.90 ERA) to face the Rays’ Nick Martinez (4–1, 1.70). Alcantara is starting to show the form that enabled him to win the 2022 NL Cy Young Award. Meanwhile, Miami native Martinez has thrived in his return to the Sunshine State, ranking in the AL top five in ERA, W-L percentage, and pitcher WAR.
New York Mets at New York Yankees
Rivalry Weekend wouldn’t be complete without the Subway Series, especially since this year marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New York and elsewhere. While the Yankees hold the edge in their all-time series with 87 wins versus 70 losses, the Mets are 9–4 over the last 13 matchups.
These teams have met at least four times every year since 1999. Over the last eight years, the Yankees have failed to win any of their series with the Mets, as the latter have won two and there were six ties. We’ll see if that recent history outweighs this season’s results as the Yankees are World Series contenders, while the Mets’ record is among the worst in baseball.
