Two intriguing MLB series that begin July 18

Two very exciting National League series begin on Tuesday. Let’s take a look at what the Major League Baseball schedule has in store for us.

Arizona Diamondbacks @ Atlanta Braves

The Diamondbacks were playing very good baseball for a large portion of the regular season, but have cooled off as of late. They in fact have only won two of their last 10 games after being swept by the Toronto Blue Jays. Now Arizona is playing the best team in all of baseball this week. They face an Atlanta Braves team that has a record of 61 wins and 31 losses and leads the second place Miami Marlins by 10 games in the National League East. The Diamondbacks are third in the National League West at 52 wins and 42 losses. They are two and a half games back of the first place Los Angeles Dodgers and half a game back of the second place San Francisco Giants. In the wildcard, Arizona has the third wildcard spot in the National League as they are currently half a game up on the Philadelphia Phillies.

Statistically, the Braves are led offensively by outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. of La Guaira, Venezuela and first baseman Matt Olson of Atlanta, Georgia. Acuna Jr. leads the Major Leagues with 43 stolen bases, is third in the Major Leagues with 123 hits, and is second in the Majors in batting average at .333. Olson is second in the Majors in home runs with 30 and is second in the Majors in runs batted in with 77. On the mound, Spencer Strider of Columbus, Ohio has been outstanding. He leads the Majors with 11 wins and 176 strikeouts. He will be on the mound on Thursday to close out the series.

The Diamondbacks are led by starting pitcher Zac Gallen of Somerdale, New Jersey. The starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star Game also leads the Majors with 11 wins, and has an earned run average of 3.14. Meanwhile, Diamondbacks rookie outfielder Corbin Carroll of Seattle, Washington is fifth in the Major Leagues with 26 stolen bases.

Milwaukee Brewers @ Philadelphia Phillies

The Brewers lead the National League Central at 52 wins and 42 losses. They have a lot of momentum after their series sweep over the Cincinnati Reds on the weekend. Philadelphia is only half a game back of Milwaukee at 51 wins and 42 losses, but that only puts them in third place in the National League East and 10.5 games back of the division leading Braves. Philadelphia’s best chance of getting back to the playoffs is through the wildcard. There they are half a game back of Arizona for the final wildcard spot in the senior circuit.

Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker of Shreveport, Louisiana leads the Majors with 11 wins. However he only has an earned run average of 4.00. Walker gets the start on Thursday for Philadelphia. Meanwhile in Milwaukee, two Brewers have reached the century mark in strikeouts so far. Corbin Burnes of Bakersfield, California has 115 strikeouts and Freddy Peralta of Moca, Dominican Republic has 113 strikeouts. Burnes will face Walker on Thursday.