If you happen to notice a greater-than-usual number of marquee matchups around MLB over the next couple of days, that’s not a coincidence: Because this weekend marks the return of Rivalry Weekend, in which all 30 teams (or, well, most of them) square off against hated opponents for three days when bragging rights are on the line all around the league. Who is your team taking on? What else should you be looking for this weekend, and what did Rob Manfred manage to screw up? We broke it all down below.

The history of MLB’s Rivalry Weekend

Rivalry Weekend made its debut in 2025, as part of baseball’s ongoing effort to drum up some new storylines and generate hype at various points over what can be a long and grueling regular season. The idea was simple: Rather than letting the vagaries of the schedule dictate when each team would face off against its closest (either geographically or emotionally) rival, MLB could take a cue from college football and have all of them play over the course of a single weekend.

Last year’s edition gave us everything from Juan Soto facing off against the Yankees for the first time since jilting them in free agency to some true barnburners between divisional foes like the Rangers and Astros. It was such a success that Rob Manfred and Co. decided to bring it back for another round this year — with a loaded schedule that features several juicy matchups alongside some that … well, let’s just say they stretch the definition of the word “rivalry”.

• Yankees vs. Mets
• Blue Jays vs. Tigers
• Red Sox vs. Braves
• Orioles vs. Nationals
• Rays vs. Marlins
• Guardians vs. Reds
• Twins vs. Brewers
• White Sox vs. Cubs
• Royals vs. Cardinals
• Rangers vs. Astros
• Mariners vs. Padres
• Athletics vs. Giants
• Angels vs. Dodgers
• Phillies vs. Pirates
• Diamondbacks vs. Rockies

The 4 best Rivalry Weekend matchups

Yankees vs. Mets

Soto’s stunning free agency, along with the arrivals of owner Steve Cohen and president David Stearns in Queens, added some necessary fuel to the fire of a Subway Series that had waned in animosity in recent years. Now, though, these fan bases have been reminded of just how much they can’t stand each other, a rivalry that transcends supports and touches on everything from class to geography.

The fact that the Mets are currently mired in last place in the NL East doesn’t change things much; if anything, it only adds to the sense of urgency. Cam Schlittler bolstered his AL Cy Young case on Friday night with yet another gem in the Yankees’ 5-2 win, and if the Mets can’t bounce back this weekend, a full-on fire sale might be coming next. For their counterparts in the Bronx, meanwhile, losing a series that breathes life into your bottom-feeder crosstown rival is exactly the sort of thing this fan base loves to spiral over.

Phillies vs. Pirates

This in-state rivalry has never felt like it had all that much oomph behind it — especially not compared to its NFL counterpart, Eagles vs. Steelers — but that could change in a big way this season. The Pirates are finally relevant, parlaying some rare offseason spending into a strong start that has them squarely in NL Wild Card contention. The Phillies are all-in on contending this season, which is why their early-season struggles have triggered full-on panic in an already-anxious fan base. The winner will leave feeling much better about its postseason chances, while the loser will be wanting heads to roll, the sort of stakes this rivalry has long lacked.

Red Sox vs. Braves

Sure, this isn’t much of a modern rivalry, despite some long-ago history connecting these two franchises (the Braves began life in Boston before winding their way to Atlanta and giving way to the Red Sox). But the on-field matchup is pretty undeniable, a Braves team that’s been the NL’s best so far this season against a Red Sox squad looking to turn things around and find some momentum that will keep this year from spiraling further into disaster. The fact that Mike Yastrzemski — heir to Boston baseball royalty — walked off Carl’s former team in the opener on Friday night just adds insult to injury.

Royals vs. Cardinals

This is one of, if not the, most underrated rivalry in baseball, two teams separated by just 240 miles or so that share much more hatred than most people outside the Midwest would assume. These fan bases well and truly don’t like each other, and this year brings real standings stakes to the table, with the upstart Cardinals riding high while the Royals are hoping to avoid a second straight disappointing season following 2024’s playoff appearance. The atmosphere at Busch Stadium was rocking on Friday night as the home team walked off with a dramatic comeback win.

Some Rivalry Weekend series missed the mark

Of course, they can’t all be winners; it’s a bit of a jigsaw puzzle trying to find perfect landing spots for all 30 MLB teams, some of which have more natural rivals than others. Still, MLB’s decision to prioritize geographic proximity rather than rivalry history has led to some very strange bedfellows.

For example: Sure, the Tigers and Blue Jays shared a division for some 30 years and stare right across the U.S.-Canada border at each other, but do those fan bases really stay up at night thinking about how to beat one another? Do the Rays and Marlins have really anything in common beyond cheap ownership and the fact that they both call Florida home? Is it not a red flag that we’re trotting out Eddie Vedder — who lived in both Seattle and San Diego — to try and sell some potential animosity between Mariners and Padres teams that are separated by one league and some 1,200 miles of coastline?

I understand that the league wants to avoid divisional rivalries that we see all the time; sure, Yankees-Red Sox is great, but it’s hardly a novel experience worth building a branding exercise around. But that doesn’t change the fact that half of this weekend’s schedule doesn’t seem to have much juice at all.

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