Expert MLB Picks and Previews

Texas heads to Seattle for Friday night’s AL West opener at 10-9, tied for first in the division entering play, while Seattle sits 8-12 and 2.5 games back in fourth. First pitch is set for 9:40 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Park, with Jacob deGrom lined up against Logan Gilbert in what looks, at least on paper, like one of the

St. Louis opens this series at Daikin Park on Friday night with a 10-8 record, fourth place in the NL Central, and a little momentum after taking the final two games of its set against Cleveland. Houston is 8-12 and sitting fifth in the AL West, but the Astros are still 7-3 at home and the market has them as

Detroit heads into Fenway Park at 10-9, third in the AL Central, and riding a six-game winning streak. Boston is 7-11, fourth in the AL East, and just salvaged its series in Minnesota with a 9-5 win before opening this seven-game homestand. First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET on Friday, and the game is scheduled for Apple TV.

Baltimore heads into Friday’s game at 9-10, third in the AL East, and trying to stop a three-game skid after a 4-2 loss in Thursday’s opener. Cleveland is 11-9, second in the AL Central, and back above water after Parker Messick took a no-hit bid into the ninth in that series opener. First pitch is set for 6:10 p.m. ET

Kansas City heads into Yankee Stadium at 7-12, fourth in the AL Central, and on a four-game losing streak after Thursday’s 10-9 collapse in Detroit. New York is 10-9, second in the AL East, and trying to steady itself after dropping seven of its last nine, including an 11-4 loss to the Angels on Thursday. First pitch is set for

Tampa Bay opens this interleague series at 11-7, first in the AL East, and riding a six-game winning streak after sweeping the White Sox on the road. Pittsburgh is 11-8, second in the NL Central, and returns home after an 8-7 extra-inning loss to Washington on Thursday. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m. ET at PNC Park, with Apple

San Francisco opens this weekend set at 7-12, fifth in the NL West, and still trying to pull out of an ugly road stretch. The Giants did stop a four-game skid with Thursday’s 3-0 win in Cincinnati, but they are still just 2-4 on this nine-game Eastern swing. Washington is 9-10, tied for second in the NL East, and comes

Milwaukee opens this series at 10-8, third in the NL Central, after stopping a six-game skid with back-to-back 2-1 wins over Toronto. Miami is 9-10, second in the NL East, and coming home after a rough 1-5 trip, but the Marlins are still 7-3 at loanDepot park. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET on Friday in Miami, with

Offenses for Mets, Cubs trending in opposite directions entering series The New York Mets are mired in their worst offensive slump in almost a decade — just in time to meet the Chicago Cubs, who are in the midst of a much-needed lineup revival. The Mets will look to snap a lengthy skid Friday afternoon when they visit the Cubs