Opposite dugout: Red Sox hoping to power through to AL East crown

Manager: John Farrell (4th season)

Record: 65-52

Last 10 games: 6-4

Who to watch: RF Mookie Betts (.313 with 26 HR, 84 RBIs), DH David Ortiz (.312 with 27 HR, 92 RBIs), SS Xander Bogaerts (.312 with 148 hits) LHP David Price (10-8, 4.29 ERA), RHP Craig Kimbrel (3.32 ERA, 20 saves).

Season series vs. Orioles: 4-6

Pitching probables:

August 16: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez vs. RHP Yovani Gallardo, 7:05 p.m., MASN
August 17: LHP David Price vs. RHP Chris Tillman, 7:00 p.m., MASN2

Inside the Red Sox:

The Red Sox feature the league's best offense. The Orioles are a league-best 39-17 at home.

Something's gotta give.

Whether you view this two-game series as the battle between an unstoppable force and an immovable object, or simply just another mid-week matchup between two division rivals, it's clear the room for error on both sides of the dugout is coming to an end. We're less than two months from the postseason, and as the series begins tonight, both the Red Sox and Orioles find themselves in the middle of a three-team race for the American League East crown.

Offensively, the Red Sox are loaded. Right fielder Mookie Betts has been on an absolute tear since the All-Star break, batting .346 with eight of his 26 home runs, including a three home-run, eight-RBI performance in the team's Sunday win over the Diamondbacks. Betts currently leads the team with a .313 average and 155 hits. Though while Betts has the lead in those categories, he's got plenty of teammates on his tail. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts is batting .312 with 148 hits, while ageless wonder David Ortiz continues his final season in style. Ortiz leads the Red Sox with 27 home runs and was second in the American League in RBIs entering Monday night's games. He sports a career .258 batting average at Camden Yards with 28 home runs and one dugout telephone.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox will send a pair of left-handers to the mound against the Orioles, starting with 23-year-old Eduardo Rodriguez. After finishing with a 10-6 record a year ago, Rodriguez has struggled to match that success this season, at least on paper. He actually pitched quite well in his first start of the season - a win in Baltimore back on May 31 - but since then has won just one decision and will take a 5.43 ERA into tonight's start against right-hander Yovani Gallardo. Don't be completely fooled by the numbers, however. Rodriguez has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his last six starts, but oddly enough hasn't received a ton of run support from his offense. David Price is still trying to find consistency in his inaugural season in Boston. After signing with the Red Sox as a free agent in the offseason, Price is still searching for back-to-back wins for the first time since winning three straight in May. Price has actually faced the Orioles twice already this season. He received a no-decision in a home start on April 11, allowing five earned runs over five innings of work, and took the loss against the Orioles on June 14. In that outing, Price tallied a quality start, but the Red Sox fell in a 3-2 contest. Price is 3-5 with a 4.34 ERA on the road this year.

Craig Kimbrel anchors the Red Sox bullpen. He picked up his 20th save of the season in Monday's win over the Indians and boasts a 3.32 ERA. The unit also features right-handers Matt Barnes and Junichi Tazawa, as well as left-hander Robbie Ross Jr. Fans hoping to see former Oriole Koji Uehara will be a bit disappointed, as the veteran reliever remains on the disabled list with a strained right pectoral muscle.