When working with small sample sizes, there’s a certain unpredictability regarding which players will emerge as standouts.
This phenomenon is common at the start of each season and can also occur in various limited batter-pitcher and player-team matchups over several years.
While established stars typically dominate the league leaderboards, lesser-known players can surge to prominence with eye-catching early statistics that hint at the possibility of a lasting breakout.
As we highlight five series to follow this week, we’ll focus on both proven stars and potential future stars who have demonstrated impressive performance in limited samples.
Giants at Phillies
4 games (Monday-Thursday)
Head to head: The Phillies had a 5-2 record against the Giants in 2024, winning their first four games at Citizens Bank Park before the Giants secured two out of three in San Francisco. This long-standing rivalry has seen 2,249 games played, including postseason contests, with the Giants winning 1,286 of those matches.
Storyline: Both teams are strong early in the season, with the Giants ranking fourth in MLB in ERA and the Phillies fifth. Their respective divisions, the National League East and NL West, could see multiple contenders. The key pitching matchup to watch is between former Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray and Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola on Wednesday.
Watch out for: Philadelphia’s power hitters, such as Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, who have impressive records against the Giants. On the Giants’ side, 25-year-old reliever Randy Rodriguez ranks in the 100th percentile for fastball spin rate and is excelling in strikeout and walk rates through his first seven appearances of 2025.
Royals at Yankees
3 games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head to head: The Yankees dominated the Royals with a 5-2 record during the 2024 regular season and continued their success by defeating Kansas City in the Division Series. The Royals last won a season series against the Yankees in 2014.
Storyline: This matchup marks a playoff rematch between the Yankees, who boast the second-best offense in terms of runs scored, and a Royals pitching staff that leads the American League in ERA. The top two finishers for last year’s AL MVP, Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt, will also face off, adding another layer of intrigue to the race for the 2025 MVP.
Watch out for: Royals catcher Salvador Perez, who has an impressive 16 home runs against the Yankees—his highest total against any non-AL Central team. Judge also has a strong record against the Royals, with 13 home runs in 140 at-bats.
Tigers at Brewers
3 games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head to head: The former American League rivals have been in separate leagues for 27 years, with their last notable games being in 1997. Last season, Milwaukee took two out of three games from Detroit in a series including scores of 10-2, 5-4, and 10-0.
Storyline: Two playoff teams from 2024 are looking to build on their success despite some uncertainties. For the Tigers, the focus is on the growth of their young talent, while the Brewers aim to maintain competitiveness amid injuries to several key rotation players.
Watch out for: Milwaukee’s former NL MVP Christian Yelich, who has a stellar .963 OPS and four home runs in 53 at-bats against the Tigers. Tigers’ infielder Spencer Torkelson, the top draft pick in 2020, is showing promise with impressive metrics on exit velocity and hard-hit percentage.
Angels at Rangers
3 games (Tuesday-Thursday)
Head to head: This series features the top two teams in the AL West. Last year, the Rangers won the final five games against the Angels and claimed nine out of 13 overall, securing the season series in seven of the last nine years.
Storyline: The Angels are performing surprisingly well, sharing the AL home run lead with the Yankees and ranking highly in runs scored, despite not finishing above .500 since 2015. The Rangers, however, are still trying to ignite their offense, although their starting pitchers have performed well with a 3.44 ERA, the fifth-best in the AL.
Watch out for: Mike Trout continues his dominance with six home runs, joining Judge for the AL lead. Trout’s impressive history against the Rangers includes 44 home runs and a 1.054 OPS. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Angels outfielder Kyren Paris boasts an exceptional .400 average and .914 slugging percentage in his early at-bats.
Diamondbacks at Cubs
3 games (Friday-Sunday)
Head to head: The teams split a four-game series in Arizona back in March, and their record over the past decade is close, with the Cubs winning 35 of 69 games since 2014.
Storyline: The Diamondbacks narrowly missed the 2024 playoffs by one game, with the Cubs also falling just short. As the Diamondbacks strive to keep pace with strong contenders in the NL West, the Cubs currently lead the NL Central while having the highest run total in baseball.
Watch out for: Diamondbacks prospect Corbin Carroll, currently seventh in average exit velocity, and teammate Pavin Smith, who is hitting the ball hard more consistently than he has in previous seasons. For the Cubs, Seiya Suzuki and Kyle Tucker have combined for an impressive total of 41 hits and 33 RBIs in their first 17 games.
