The written preview lands about a day and a half before the game, once the lineups, the injuries and the market have settled. Until then the boards below carry the matchup: recent form, how the two sides compare, and where each of them sits.
The full preview, matchup keys, probable starters and the storylines to watch, posts closer to game time, once lineups are set.
Where each side sits in its own division, with both clubs marked. These two are in different ones, so the tables are separate and the records are not directly comparable.
Tampa Bay Rays87-59.596L1
New York Yankees84-62.575W3
Boston Red Sox80-67.544L2
Toronto Blue Jays73-74.497L1
Baltimore Orioles71-76.483W1
Houston Astros75-72.510W1
Texas Rangers72-75.490L2
Seattle Mariners69-78.469W2
Oakland Athletics59-88.401W1
Los Angeles Angels56-90.384W2Taken from each club's most recent lineup. The official cards post 2 to 3 hours before first pitch, so a name here can still be scratched, and the batting order is the likelier thing to move than the nine men in it.
Houston Astros
Jeremy Peña#3RHB.271coldShortstop
Yordan Alvarez#44LHB.310coldDesignated hitter
Isaac Paredes#15RHBThird base
Nick Allen#20RHB.275hotSecond base
Daulton Varsho#18LHBCenter fieldBoston Red Sox
Roman Anthony#19LHBDesignated hitter
Mickey Gasper#30SHB.264Catcher
Wilyer Abreu#52LHB.256Right field
Trevor Story#10RHBShortstop
Nick Sogard#20SHB.266First base
