There are approximately six weeks left in the 2025 MLB regular season. Starting Monday there are two very intriguing series commencing. In the American League, there is a battle of division leaders in Detroit as the Detroit Tigers host the Houston Astros. In the National League, there is a compelling interleague matchup as the Philadelphia Phillies host the Seattle Mariners.
Tigers @ Astros
The Tigers lead the American League Central at 73 wins and 53 losses. They lead the Cleveland Guardians by eight and a half games. The Astros lead the American League West at 69 wins and 55 losses. They lead the Mariners by a game and a half.
The Astros are led offensively by American League All-Star shortstop Jeremy Pena of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, who is third in the Major Leagues with a .313 batting average. He has 115 hits this season in 367 at bats. Of Pena’s 115 hits, 80 are singles, 20 are doubles, 13 are home runs, and two are triples. The only two players with a better batting average are New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (.333), and Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda of Baja California, Mexico (.316).
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal of Hayward, California, will get the start on Tuesday. Skubal leads the American League with a .242 earned run average and a .786 winning percentage, and leads the Major Leagues with a 0.87 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched). Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez of Sabana Grande de Palenque, who gets the start on Wednesday, is second in the American League with 17 quality starts.
Mariners @ Phillies
The Mariners are in second place in the American League West at 68 wins and 57 losses. They are tied with the Boston Red Sox for the top wildcard spot in the American League. The Phillies lead the National League at 71 wins and 53 losses. They lead the second place New York Mets by five games.
The Mariners are coming off a special game on the MLB schedule. They lost 7-3 to the Mets at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in front of many players competing in the Little League World Series.
Seattle is led offensively by catcher Cal Raleigh of Cullowhee, North Carolina, who leads the Major Leagues with 47 home runs and 102 runs batted in. Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez of Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela is fifth in the Major Leagues with 39 home runs and fourth in the Major Leagues with 94 runs batted in. Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber of Middletown, Ohio is tied with Raleigh for the Major League lead in RBIs with 102, and is second to Raleigh in Major League home runs with 43. Phillies shortstop Trea Turner of Boynton Beach, Florida leads the National League with 147 hits.
On the mound, the Phillies received a huge loss on Monday. It was reported that starting pitcher Zack Wheeler had surgery to remove a blood clot in his arm and would be gone long term. Wheeler led the National League with 195 strikeouts and was third in the National League with 16 quality starts. The top Phillies starter now is southpaw Christopher Sanchez of La Romana, Dominican Republic, who is third in the National League with a 2.45 earned run average and second in the Major League with 17 quality starts. The Mariners have had a great season from Andres Munoz of Los Mochis, Mexico, who is second in the National League with 29 saves.
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