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The Chicago Cubs visit the San Diego Padres on Monday night to open a three-game series at PETCO Park, with first pitch set for 9:40 PM ET on MARQ. Chicago enters at 17-11 and second in the NL Central, but the Cubs are trying to stop a two-game skid after running into trouble against the Dodgers over the weekend. San Diego is 18-9 and second in the NL West, and even after blowing a 7-1 lead in a 12-7 loss to Arizona in Mexico City, the Padres have still won 16 of their last 20 after a slow 2-5 start. They are 9-4 at home and have gone 7-3 over their last 10, so this is not exactly a soft

The New York Yankees are monitoring the status of designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton as they prepare to begin a three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Monday in Arlington, Texas. Stanton has missed the last two games with right calf tightness, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the team will decide before Monday’s contest if a trip to the injured list is needed. “I know (Saturday) he felt like it improved,” Boone said. “I think he also feels like he got in front of it a little bit, so we’ll see how it unfolds.” The Yankees had their eight-game win streak snapped in a 7-4 road loss to the Houston Astros on Sunday, while Texas dropped two of three to

After dropping three games by a total of four runs while getting swept at home, the St. Louis Cardinals will look for better fortune on the road as they begin a four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday. St. Louis has lost four straight and five of six and is tied with the Milwaukee Brewers for fourth in the National League Central, the only division in the majors where every team has a winning record. Rob Refsnyder hit a tiebreaking solo home run in the top of the ninth inning after successfully challenging a third strike call earlier in the at-bat to give the Seattle Mariners a 3-2 victory over the host Cardinals on Sunday. “It sucks that you

A bullpen, like an umpiring crew, often goes unnoticed unless it makes mistakes. The Seattle Mariners would like to challenge that approach. Seattle has enjoyed one of the best bullpens in baseball as of late, and it hopes the trend will continue as it faces the Minnesota Twins to kick off a three-game series Monday in Minneapolis. The Mariners are coming off a 3-2 road win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep. Seattle’s bullpen combined to pitch three scoreless innings, and Jose A. Ferrer closed the door in the ninth inning for his first save. Seattle manager Dan Wilson said he was fortunate to have a top bullpen. “We’ve got guys we trust in