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The Detroit Tigers return home Friday looking to protect their lead in the AL Central as they host the surging Chicago White Sox in the first of a three-game weekend set. With both starting pitchers riding recent momentum, this game sets up as a potential pitching duel. Jack Flaherty has had a rollercoaster ride over his last few starts. In August, he alternated between dominance and disaster, but he enters Friday’s game with renewed confidence after holding the Royals to one run in nearly six innings last week. Detroit manager A.J. Hinch praised Flaherty’s fastball and pitch conviction, noting it was one of his sharper outings this season. Flaherty is also 3-2 lifetime with a 3.45 ERA against the White

The San Diego Padres enter their weekend series at Coors Field with their playoff hopes intact but some serious hurdles to clear. With injuries piling up and recent losses adding pressure, Friday’s matchup against the struggling Colorado Rockies could help San Diego get back on track. Despite losing All-Star reliever Jason Adam for the season, San Diego still boasts an elite bullpen led by deadline addition Mason Miller, who recently fired an immaculate inning — three strikeouts on nine pitches — against Baltimore. They’ll send Nick Pivetta to the mound Friday. He’s had a solid year overall but has struggled mightily against Colorado in his career. Pivetta’s performance will be critical as the Padres try to halt a four-game losing

With both clubs chasing a postseason berth, the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals square off in a must-watch series beginning Friday night in St. Louis. Though they’ve taken different paths to get here, both teams are heating up at the right time. After an inconsistent season, the Giants are making noise with 10 wins in their last 11 games and a red-hot offense leading the charge. They’ve homered in 17 straight games, racking up 36 long balls during that stretch. Third baseman Matt Chapman, one of the hottest bats in the lineup, knows time is running out. Chapman’s status for Friday is uncertain as he awaits the outcome of an appeal following a suspension tied to a bench-clearing

After a rough road sweep, the Seattle Mariners are desperate to turn things around as they head into a weekend showdown against the Atlanta Braves. Friday’s game opens a three-game set that could determine whether Seattle stays in the playoff race—or falls further behind. The Mariners have now lost five of their last six and three straight, thanks to a disappointing sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays. Even a mid-week visit from legendary manager Lou Piniella couldn’t shake them out of their slump. Manager Dan Wilson remains optimistic despite the skid. Seattle enters the weekend four games behind Houston in the AL West and clinging to the final AL Wild Card spot with just a 1.5-game cushion