Several notable matchups are set for the first full week of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, following an exciting Opening weekend. The upcoming games will feature key contests between top teams and star players across both leagues.
These series are drawing attention due to their potential impact on early-season standings and player performances. Fans will have a chance to see some of last year’s most successful teams and emerging talents compete head-to-head.
One highlighted matchup is between the New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners, who play three games from Monday through Wednesday. The Yankees dominated last year’s meetings, winning five out of six games against Seattle. A central storyline is the face-off between Aaron Judge, who won his third career American League Most Valuable Player award in 2025, and Cal Raleigh. Both played together for Team USA in this year’s World Baseball Classic, where they lost to Venezuela in the finals. Judge has already hit home runs in his last two games this season.
Another key series features the Cleveland Guardians visiting the Los Angeles Dodgers for three games starting Monday. The Dodgers aim to become the first team since the late-1990s Yankees to win three consecutive World Series titles after signing Kyle Tucker and Edwin Díaz during the offseason. Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to make his first start on Tuesday. Chase DeLauter has started strong for Cleveland with four home runs in his first three regular-season MLB games.
The New York Mets will travel west for a four-game set against the San Francisco Giants beginning Thursday. While New York began its season by winning two out of three games, San Francisco was swept by the Yankees at Oracle Park without much offense produced.
Other notable matchups include Padres at Red Sox—featuring standout players such as Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran—and Brewers at Royals where speedsters like Bobby Witt Jr., Brice Turang, Maikel Garcia, and Sal Frelick are expected to make highlight-reel plays.
As teams settle into their early schedules, these series may offer clues about which clubs could emerge as contenders throughout this season.
