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The Mets head into Wrigley Field at 7-12 and in a real skid, having dropped eight straight entering Friday’s 2:20 p.m. ET first pitch. Chicago is 9-9, coming off back-to-back wins over Philadelphia, and this matchup sets up with Kodai Senga against Edward Cabrera in a game airing on WPIX and Marquee Sports Network. This is a pretty important spot for both clubs, but for very different reasons. New York needs to stop the bleeding after getting swept by the Dodgers and scoring just 12 runs during the eight-game losing streak. The Cubs, on the other hand, finally look like their offense has found some rhythm after putting up 35 runs over the last four games and reaching double-digit hits

Atlanta opens this NL East series at 12-7, first in the division, after taking the rubber game against Miami and heading to Philadelphia with a healthier overall profile than it had a week ago. The Phillies are 8-10, fourth in the East, and they are trying to stop a slide after dropping another ugly one to the Cubs before Thursday’s off day. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park, with the game airing on NBC Sports Philadelphia and BravesVision. This is also a strong hitting environment on paper. Philadelphia’s forecast calls for temperatures near 80 degrees around first pitch with mostly clear to partly cloudy skies through the evening, so this does not look like

Cincinnati opens this interleague series at 11-8, tied for first in the NL Central, but the shape of that record is a little uneven. The Reds are 5-5 over their last 10, they just got shut out 3-0 by San Francisco on Thursday, and they have been much better on the road at 5-2 than at home so far. Minnesota is also 11-8 and sits atop the AL Central, with a stronger recent trend at 8-2 over its last 10 and a 7-3 record at Target Field. First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET on Friday. This game matters because both clubs have banked early wins in different ways. Cincinnati has leaned more on pitching and timely power, while

The Dodgers open this four-game set at Coors Field with the best record in the National League West at 14-4, a three-game winning streak, and an 8-2 mark over their last 10. Colorado is 7-12, fourth in the division, but it did come home off a 3-2 win in Houston on Thursday. First pitch is set for 8:40 p.m. ET in Denver, with SportsNet LA and Rockies.TV carrying the game. There is a little more going on here than the huge moneyline suggests. Los Angeles has a +46 run differential and is 5-1 on the road, while Colorado is just 3-10 away from home but a respectable 4-2 at Coors. The weather matters too. Friday night in Denver is projected