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The calendar may say June, but the atmosphere in St. Louis this week will have the distinct feel of October. For the first time this season, two of baseball’s most storied rivals will clash as the National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs open a crucial four-game series against the host St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. Led by the scorching-hot bat of Ian Happ, the Cubs will look to extend their division lead, while the Cardinals aim to close the gap and prove they belong in the race. For the first two months of the season, Ian Happ was the picture of frustration. The Cubs’ switch-hitting outfielder, who hit 25 home runs last year, had just three through the end of

Walker Buehler is no stranger to the bright lights of Southern California. Just last fall, he was on top of the baseball world, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a World Series championship. On Monday night, he returns to the area as a member of the Boston Red Sox, but under vastly different circumstances. Mired in the worst slump of his season, the veteran ace is on a personal mission to get back on track as his new team opens a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels. Both clubs are coming off frustrating weekend losses and are desperate to start the week with a clean slate. When the Red Sox signed Walker Buehler to a one-year, $21.05 million contract

Sunday was a day full of good news for the San Diego Padres. They earned their first series victory in two weeks with a dramatic walk-off win, and more importantly, they welcomed back their dynamic star center fielder, Jackson Merrill, to the lineup. Now, the San Diego Padres will look to build on that positive momentum as they open a three-game series on Monday night against the visiting and spiraling Washington Nationals. For the Padres, seeing Jackson Merrill back on the field is a massive boost. The star outfielder has had a frustrating season, with two separate stints on the injured list (hamstring and concussion) limiting him to just 44 games. But when healthy, he is one of the team’s

It’s only June, but the “M-V-P” chants are already raining down for Cal Raleigh. The Seattle Mariners’ catcher is putting together a season for the ages, and he’ll bring his power show to Minneapolis on Monday night as the surging Seattle Mariners open a four-game series against the slumping Minnesota Twins. The series opener pits two teams on completely different trajectories, with one riding the wave of a potential MVP campaign and the other desperately trying to stay afloat. Cal Raleigh is not just having an All-Star season; he’s having a historic one. After launching his league-leading 31st home run in Sunday’s 14-6 win over the Cubs, visiting Mariners fans at Wrigley Field serenaded him with MVP chants so loud