September arrives kicking and screaming into this Major League Baseball season, with its dozens of mediocre teams still in contention and just 28 days left to find resolution.
No, we are not yet to the point of calling this week’s key matchups compelling. That day might never come. But we will say things are getting moderately more interesting.
That’s a start.
The coming week will produce a nearly full slate of games every day and just two to four series are virtually devoid of playoff ramifications, and fewer than that if you consider the Cardinals, Pirates and Twins still on the periphery of contention. The rest will have a scent of relevance – and a few are actually pretty important.
With that, a look at five of the bigger series this week:
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Athletics Lawrence Butler is tagged out by Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas as he tires to extend his double into a triple during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park on April 18, 2026.
(Scott Marshall, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Athletics Lawrence Butler is tagged out by Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas as he tires to extend his double into a triple during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park on April 18, 2026.
(Scott Marshall, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Cleveland Guardians mascot Slider interacts with fans during game against the Baltimore Orioles at Progressive Field on April 17, 2026.
(David Richard, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Washington Nationals right fielder Daylen Lile attempts to catch a ball hit for a single by the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Jake Mangum during the first inning at PNC Park on April 16, 2026. The Nationals won the game, 8-7.
(Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Milwaukee Brewers catcher Gary Sanchez wears a special chest protector to commemorate Jackie Robinson Day during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at American Family Field on April 15, 2026.
(Benny Sieu, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
April 13: The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Spencer Horwitz celebrates a home run in the dugout while wearing a welder’s hood during the 16-5 win over the Washington Nationals at PNC Park.
(Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
April 12: Philadelphia Phillies mascot, The Phanatic, entertains fans with local team mascots for a birthday celebration before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citizens Bank Park.
(Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
April 11: The Tampa Bay Rays’ Jonathan Aranda (left) celebrates with Ryan Vilade after hitting a walk-off single against the New York Yankees in the 10th inning of a 5-4 win at Tropicana Field.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Cleveland Guardians’ Jose Ramirez acknowledges the fans after becoming the team’s all-time leader in games played against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on April 6, 2026.
(David Dermer, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
A rainbow appears during the fourth inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 6, 2026.
(Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
A fan dresses as the Pope claps during the first inning of the game between the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays at Rate Field on April 5, 2026. The White Sox won the game, 3-0, to complete a three-game sweep of the Blue Jays.
(Matt Marton, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ Konnor Griffin celebrates with a traffic cone after making his major-league debut in a 5-4 defeat of the Baltimore Orioles at PNC Park on April 3, 2026.
(Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
A young Red Sox fan meets Tessie the Boston Red Sox mascot before the Red Sox’s home opener against the San Diego Padres at Fenway Park on April 3, 2026.
(Eric Canha, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (6) and center fielder Jakob Marsee celebrate a victory against the Chicago White Sox at loanDepot Park on April 1, 2026.
(Jim Rassol, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Fans try to catch a solo home run hit by the San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman as San Diego Padres left fielder Nick Castellanos looks on during the third inning at Petco Park on March 31, 2026.
(Denis Poroy, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Philadelphia Phillies mascot The Phillie Phanatic entertains fans during the game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park on March 31, 2026.
(Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Toronto Blue Jays’ Kazuma Okamoto gets doused with ice water by teammates after a win over the Athletics at Rogers Centre on March 29, 2026.
(John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The Cincinnati Reds’ Eugenio Suárez blows a bubble as he waits to bat against the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park on March 28, 2026.
(Aaron Doster, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
The St. Louis Cardinals’ JJ Wetherholt is doused with water by teammates after hitting a walk-off two-run single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the 10th inning at Busch Stadium on March 28, 2026.
(Jeff Curry, Imagn Images)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Fans react as the Milwaukee Brewers’ Jake Bauers homers against the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field on March 26, 2026.
(Jovanny Hernandez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
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Ballpark vibes, big plays and wild celebrations during 2026 MLB season
Two F-35C planes from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron NINE Detachment Edwards Air Force Base perform a flyover before the Opening Day game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on March 26, 2026.
(Kirby Lee, Imagn Images)
When: Monday-Thursday, Wrigley Field
Key matchup: Monday – Brewers LH Kyle Harrison vs. Cubs RH Clay Holmes
Outlook: The Brewers can more or less ice the NL Central title by taking three of four, which would push their lead to 10 games. And the Cubs likely need a sweep to trim their deficit from eight games to four, at which point they’d have 25 games to try and make up the difference. But the division largely seems like settled business; this one feels more like a couple fighters feeling each other out in the early rounds with larger stakes down the line, such as a repeat of their five-game NLDS last year, won by Milwaukee. In case you wondered, Jacob Misiorowski will pitch Wednesday night, opposed by Cubs lefty David Peterson.
When: Monday-Thursday, Daikin Park
Key matchup: Thursday – White Sox RH Luis Castillo vs. Astros RH Hunter Brown
Outlook: A clash of division leaders! A potential ALCS preview! Or, a 69-68 club that just fired its general manager taking on a team that lost 119 games two seasons ago. OK, let’s call the glass half full, at least: The White Sox have very much earned their 3 1/2-game Central lead, even if their 72-64 record would be useless in any other division except the West, where the Astros for now reign supreme over a cast of losers. This will be a good test for the Sox, though, getting out of the Central and taking on a club of playoff veterans in what can be a raucous place to play. A Sean Burke-Brown matchup would’ve been entertaining but instead, Castillo, who has a 6.45 ERA in five starts as a White Sox, will try to pull off a reverse lock.
Jose Ramirez and Chase DeLauter face a big test this week when they welcome the Toronto Blue Jays to Progressive Field.
When: Tuesday-Thursday, Progressive Field
Key matchup: Wednesday – Blue Jays RH Dylan Cease vs. Guardians LH Joey Cantillo
Outlook: Finally – finally! – a compelling matchup strongly tied to the AL wild-card race. It might take all September for this quagmire to shake free, but at least we have a showdown between two teams that are both playing well and firmly in the race. Cleveland enters the week with a one-game lead over Baltimore for the final wild card, with Toronto lurking 1 1/2 games back. So the Jays are just 68-70, you say? We say they’ve won 12 of their last 19 and are a different team since catcher Alejandro Kirk returned and solidified matters on both sides of the ball. When will the Guardians call up super prospect Ralphy Velazquez? Rosters will expand gently this week.
When: Thursday-Sunday, Camden Yards
Key matchup: Saturday – Red Sox RH Sonny Gray vs. Orioles RH Kyle Bradish
Outlook: It’s getting interesting in Baltimore. The Orioles are beating up on inferior teams, finally, after not at all giving off “Don’t let them get hot!” vibes all year. Well, now they’re getting kind of hot, with Pete Alonso climbing into the nether reaches of MVP ballots and Gunnar Henderson starting to salvage what looked like a lost season. Losing three of four at Yankee Stadium was a heat check for the Red Sox, who increasingly look locked into that No. 2 wild card behind New York. Interim manager Chad Tracy returns to the site he grabbed the reins from fired Joey Cora back in April.
When: Friday-Sunday, Petco Park
Key matchup: Sunday – Yankees RH Will Warren vs. Padres RH Michael King
Outlook: Just call this the Trent Grisham Bowl. The Michael King Cup. The Randy Vasquez Invitational. OK, you get the idea. Point is, the Juan Soto trade still resonates for both these teams and several participants will join the fray this weekend, even as Soto is two years removed from pinstripes. This series means a lot more to San Diego than New York, as the Padres’ wild card hopes took a hit with a sweep at Tampa Bay. They can’t afford another letdown against an AL East team, while the Yankees can start to sort out their rotation as they fold Max Fried back into mix.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Five MLB series to watch, as playoff races get even wilder
