These 5 series will impact postseason races

With only six weeks left in the Major League season, every series featuring a postseason contender is obviously important -- but some carry a bit more weight than others.

Here's a look at five series this week that could have significant implications on various postseason races.

YANKEES at BRAVES (Monday-Tuesday)

Why it matters
Something has to give in this matchup of the two hottest teams in the Majors. The Yankees and Braves each entered Monday having won nine straight games to vastly improve their postseason outlooks. New York's streak has the club holding the top AL Wild Card spot, while Atlanta's recent run has put the team in the driver's seat in the NL East.

Other teams that will be watching closely

Athletics, Blue Jays, Mariners, Mets, Phillies, Rays, Red Sox
Being an Interleague showdown involving a pair of teams currently in postseason position, this brief two-game set figures to draw the interest of plenty of teams around the Majors. The Phillies (five games back in the NL East) and Mets (seven games back) will be hoping that the Braves' nine-game winning streak will be snapped at the hands of the equally-as-hot Yankees.

On the AL side, the A's and Red Sox -- tied for the second AL Wild Card spot -- began the week 2 1/2 games back of the Yankees for that top Wild Card berth. As for the Rays, they're trying to hold off a New York team that has closed the gap to just 4 1/2 games after being a season-high 10 games out of first place on July 4.

Player(s) to watch
Reigning NL MVP Freddie Freeman has been particularly locked in of late, going 16-for-34 (.471) with seven extra-base hits -- including three home runs -- over the last eight games. He's also walked four times, been hit by a pitch and stolen a base during that span, all while striking out only four times.

As for the Yankees, the two key players to watch in this one may very well be their starting pitchers. They'll roll out a pair of lefties against Atlanta's potent lineup, starting Jordan Montgomery on Monday and Andrew Heaney on Tuesday. After posting a 9.00 ERA and allowing eight homers in his first three starts with the Yanks, Heaney tossed seven innings of one-run ball against the Red Sox on Wednesday.

How to watch
Both games in this series will be broadcast on MLB Network and can be streamed live on MLB.TV, including Monday's game being featured as the MLB.TV Free Game of the Day.

MARINERS at ATHLETICS (Monday-Tuesday)

Why it matters
Each of these teams has postseason aspirations -- but both have some work to do. The A's entered the week tied for the final AL Wild Card spot, but they're also still within striking distance of the first-place Astros in the AL West. As for the Mariners, they've won seven of their last 10 games to place themselves as the first team on the outside looking in for the AL Wild Card race.

Other teams that will be watching closely

Astros, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Yankees
Oakland's push to catch Houston in the AL West has stalled a bit over the past week, though with the Astros having some struggles of their own -- they're just 3-5 in their last eight games -- the A's still entered the week just 3 1/2 games back. Though they'd obviously prefer to win a second straight division title, the A's are currently locked in a tight battle as they attempt to just hold on to an AL Wild Card spot. They entered the week tied with the Red Sox for the final AL Wild Card berth -- 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees for the top AL Wild Card spot -- and sitting just three games ahead of the Mariners and 4 1/2 games ahead of the Blue Jays.

Player(s) to watch
Though nearly all of the focus in AL MVP talks has centered around Shohei Ohtani and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (and rightfully so), the next best candidate in that conversation may very well be Matt Olson. The A's first baseman entered the week with a .930 OPS and 31 home runs, though he has come back down a bit following a blistering start to the season. After hitting .303 with a .995 OPS and 20 homers over his first 69 games (during which Oakland went 42-27), Olson has hit just .239 with an .840 OPS and 11 homers over his last 50 games -- in which the A's are 25-25.

How to watch
Both games can be streamed live on MLB.TV, while Tuesday's contest will also be available on MLB Network.

REDS at BREWERS (Tuesday-Thursday)

Why it matters
The Brewers enter this one with a 7 1/2-game lead over the Reds in the NL Central, and this will be the final meeting between the clubs this season. Even with a seemingly comfortable division lead, Milwaukee still has plenty to play for as it begins the week just 4 1/2 back of the Giants for the top record in the Majors. Not to mention, a sweep at the hands of the Reds would quickly tighten things up in the NL Central. Cincinnati's four-game winning streak has vaulted it ahead of San Diego for the second NL Wild Card spot.

Other teams that will be watching closely

Cardinals, Padres
The Reds entered the week one game ahead of the Padres and 4 1/2 games ahead of the Cardinals in the chase for the final NL Wild Card berth. Cincinnati has won four straight and eight of its last 11 games, while San Diego is just 2-9 in its last 11 games.

Player(s) to watch
It's no coincidence the the Reds' recent surge has coincided with one of the best stretches of Joey Votto's career. The six-time All-Star has been on an absolute tear for much of the second half, posting a .342/.440/.829 slash line and clubbing 17 home runs over the last 32 games. His 1.269 OPS during that stretch is the best in the Majors, while he also has five more homers and eight more RBIs (41) than any other player over that span.

How to watch
The entire series can be streamed live on MLB.TV, including Thursday's finale being available for free with MLB.TV offering every game for free that day.

DODGERS at PADRES (Tuesday-Thursday)

Why it matters
Though many likely anticipated back in April that these clubs would be battling for NL West supremacy, they're instead both staring up at the first-place Giants. The Dodgers are still very much in the division race, but the Padres have fallen 13 games back in the NL West -- and completely out of postseason position for the time being -- amidst their recent struggles. Even if this matchup doesn't determine the NL West champion, Los Angeles and San Diego figure to have plenty to say about where one another will end up by the end of the season. These three games mark the start of nine remaining meetings between the Dodgers and Padres over the season's final six weeks.

Other teams that will be watching closely

Cardinals, Giants, Phillies, Reds
Despite sporting the best record in the Majors, the Giants (80-44) are only 2 1/2 games ahead of the Dodgers (78-47) heading into this week. As for the Padres, they're suddenly looking up at the Reds in the chase for the final NL Wild Card spot. San Diego entered the week one game back of Cincinnati for that final NL postseason spot, while St. Louis (4 1/2 games back) and Philadelphia (five games) are also trying to stay in the race.

Player(s) to watch
Is "all of them" an acceptable answer? Even with players like Mookie Betts, Clayton Kershaw and Yu Darvish on the IL, this series has no shortage of starpower. NL MVP Award candidate Max Muncy has been a consistent force in the Dodgers' lineup all season, while Fernando Tatis Jr. -- who moved to the outfield upon his return from the IL -- remains one of the most exciting players in all of baseball.

While Tuesday's probables are TBA for each team, Wednesday's contest features a showdown between Walker Buehler and Blake Snell, while Max Scherzer is slated to take the mound for the Dodgers in Thursday's finale. It's also possible that both Betts and Darvish make their returns on Thursday, though neither is set in stone.

How to watch
The first two games of this series will be televised on ESPN. The entire series can also be streamed live on MLB.TV, including Thursday's finale being available for free with MLB.TV offering every game for free that day.

YANKEES at ATHLETICS (Thursday-Sunday)

Why it matters
The Yankees' recent hot streak has not only put the club atop the AL Wild Card standings, but they're also right back in the AL East race. The A's, meanwhile, have been trending in the other direction. They entered the week having dropped six of their last eight games, leaving them tied with the Red Sox for the final AL Wild Card spot -- and falling a bit further back of the Astros in the AL West.

Other teams that will be watching closely

Astros, Blue Jays, Mariners, Rays, Red Sox
This series has the potential to impact a pair of division races, as well as the AL Wild Card battle. The Yanks began the week 4 1/2 games back of the Rays in the AL East, while the A's were 3 1/2 back of the Astros in the AL West. As for the Wild Card hunt, the Yanks held the top AL Wild Card spot, 2 1/2 games clear of the A's and Red Sox. The Mariners (three games back of Oakland and Boston) and Blue Jays (4 1/2 back) are also hanging around.

Player(s) to watch
As mentioned above, Olson would be having an MVP-caliber season for the A's if it wasn't for Ohtani's historic campaign. For the Yankees, it's always worth watching Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton anytime they step to the plate, while Gerrit Cole also figures to continue his push for the AL Cy Young Award at some point during this series, though the club has not yet laid out specific pitching plans for this series.

How to watch
The entire series can be streamed live on MLB.TV, including Thursday's opener being available for free with MLB.TV offering every game for free that day. That contest can also be seen on MLB Network, while Sunday's finale will be televised on ESPN.