Major League Baseball

Everything to know about FOX Saturday Baseball: Mets-Phillies in London, Dodgers-Yankees

Updated Jun. 8, 2024 3:29 p.m. ET

Two of the bigger series on the MLB calendar take place this weekend as part of FOX Sports' three-game slate Saturday!

First, the 2024 edition of MLB's London Series begins between the National League-leading Philadelphia Phillies and their fierce division rivals, the New York Mets. Joe Davis and John Smoltz will have the call for that one with the legendary crew of Kevin Burkhardt, Álex Rodríguez and Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and David Ortiz returning for pregame and postgame duties. It all starts at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App.

Later, the action shifts back across the pond to New York, where the Yankees host the Los Angeles Dodgers for a renewal of one of baseball's most historic rivalries, featuring the top two MVP favorites in the American League (Juan Soto and Aaron Judge) against the two MVP favorites in the National League (Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani) at 7:35 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App.

Meanwhile, one of the biggest surprises of the MLB season rolls on as the red-hot Cleveland Guardians and star slugger José Ramírez head to Miami to take on Jazz Chisholm and the Marlins.

Here's everything you need to know about this weekend's loaded slate!

Phillies vs. Mets (12:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)
Probable starters: Ranger Suárez, Philadelphia (1.70 ERA) vs Sean Manaea, New York (3.63 ERA)

The Phillies are coming off back-to-back National League Championship Series appearances, but the Atlanta Braves still came into the season seemingly poised to extend their streak of six straight NL East division titles.

That's not how the first two months have played out, however. The Braves have been more good than great amid season-ending injuries to their best pitcher (Spencer Strider) and best hitter (Ronald Acuña Jr.). Meanwhile, the Phillies got off to the best start in franchise history.

Philadelphia's NL-best 44-19 mark is the product of familiar household names delivering alongside surprise emerging stars. Two-time NL MVP Bryce Harper once again leads the Phillies' powerful lineup with an .890 OPS, but third baseman Alec Bohm has broken out in his own right with an NL-best 50 RBIs, and bench bat Edmundo Sosa has surpassed all expectations while taking over for the injured Trea Turner at shortstop with a .294/.357/.539 slash line as Turner recovers from a hamstring injury.

A similar story is playing out among the Phillies' pitching staff. Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola have both performed like the co-aces Phillies fans have come to expect, but it's Saturday's starter Ranger Suárez who has been the top performer, as he heads into Saturday's matchup with a 1.70 ERA that leads all of Major League Baseball.

The Mets, meanwhile, appear set to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive season as they retool under new president of baseball operations David Stearns. Still, first baseman Pete Alonso remains one of baseball's biggest power threats (14 home runs, .792 OPS), and Saturday starter Sean Manaea has been a pleasant surprise in New York's starting rotation. He enters with a 3.42 ERA, which would match the lowest of his career over a full season if he can keep up that pace.

Dodgers at Yankees (7:35 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports App)
Probable starters: Gavin Stone, Los Angeles (2.90 ERA) vs. Nestor Cortes, New York (3.46 ERA)

One of the biggest benefits of Major League Baseball's decision to alter its schedule format in 2022 is that it would allow the World Series rivalry between the Dodgers and Yankees that dominated the league throughout the mid-20th century to be renewed every year. But this series stands out even among the typical fanfare of a Dodgers-Yankees matchup, as it features the top two MVP candidates in both the National and American Leagues.

On New York's side, Juan Soto has been everything Yankees fans hoped for and then some in his first season in the Bronx after being acquired via a blockbuster trade with the San Diego Padres last offseason. Soto's excellence in April helped cover for a slow start from Aaron Judge — before the 2022 American League MVP roared back to life with one of the best months of his career.

Judge and Soto enter Friday in the top five among all MLB players in home runs and wins above replacement (WAR), and Nos. 1 and No. 2, respectively in on-base percentage, slugging percentage and total bases. They are also the only two MLB players with an OPS above 1.000 through Thursday's games.

In Los Angeles, Shohei Ohtani has somehow worked his way into contention for his third career MVP award even though the two-way superstar is exclusively a designated hitter. He enters Friday third in OPS among MLB players, behind only Judge and Soto, and is also in the top five among all MLB hitters in batting average and WAR. Betts, the 2018 AL MVP with the Boston Red Sox, has cooled off a bit after an otherworldly April but remains within the top 10 among MLB players in every aforementioned offensive category.

It all adds up to a showdown with a stunning amount of star power, even by the standards of this immensely storied rivalry.

Guardians at Marlins (7:15 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app)
Probable starters: Ben Lively, Cleveland (2.84 ERA) vs. TBA, Miami

A year ago, Miami's Skip Schumaker became the latest former MLB player to make a successful transition to the managerial ranks, winning 2023 National League Manager of the Year after leading the Marlins back to the playoffs. Cleveland's Stephen Vogt could be next. The Guardians are one of baseball's biggest surprises, and one of only three teams with 40 wins.

The Guardians were primarily known for their pitching prowess under Terry Francona, but their strength under their first-year skipper thus far is their offense. And while that might also be a surprise, the player leading the charge offensively is not. Star third baseman José Ramírez has overcome a slow start to lead the team in OPS and wins above replacement entering Friday.

Now, check out some pregame reading from across MLB courtesy of FOXSports.com!

MLB Roundtable: Who's the best player in the supercharged Dodgers-Yankees matchup? How do the two teams' offenses and pitching staffs match up? Is this a World Series preview — and what does each team need to do to shore up their rosters for the trade deadline? Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar answer all those questions and more.

Making the MVP cases: Who really deserves to take the top spot right now among the Dodgers' and Yankees' respective superstar duos? Kavner and Thosar chose their current team (and league) MVP front-runners.

MLB's 30 most impactful offseason moves in 2024: Ohtani and Soto are playing like the star pickups their new teams hoped for, but who else has thrived after being acquired this past winter? Kavner takes a deep dive into the list.

Where do the Dodgers' and Yankees' star hitter duos rank all-time? Our FOX Sports Research crew broke down the top 10 hitting tandems of all time in light of what the Betts-Ohtani and Soto-Judge duos have accomplished — and one of those players is already on the list.

The Dodgers aren't playing like the best team in baseball. Thosar gives three reasons why the Dodgers' depth issues are dragging down their superteam potential.

Power Rankings: Are the Yankees or Phillies the best team in baseball? Ben Verlander makes his choice in his latest power rankings.

Want more betting angles? Judge and Soto are neck-and-neck in the AL MVP odds, while Phillies and Dodgers aces lead the way in the NL Cy Young race. Plus, be sure to check out the latest World Series odds here, and stop by our betting hub for all the latest MLB odds!

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