Five things to watch in MLB this week

After two weeks, the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers have MLB's best record at 11-4.

Big surprise there, right? Let’s take a look at the Dodgers and the rest of the majors with five things to watch in MLB this week:

Highest-paid teams meet

Call it the Unlimited Budgets Battle when the Dodgers host the New York Mets for a three-game series starting Monday at Dodger Stadium.

The Mets opened the season with MLB’s highest payroll at $352.2 million, and the Dodgers are second with $316.6 million. That’s a grand total of $668.8 million.

That’s a lot of money. The Cleveland Guardians’ payroll was $65 million at the season’s start.

This must sting for Mets owner Steve Cohen. The Mets are 7-9 and last in the NL East, while the Guardians are 9-7 and tied for first in the AL Central.

Playing without injured star Juan Soto, the Mets are on a five-game losing streak, scoring nine runs in that span and two or fewer runs in four of the five games.

The Mets’ David Peterson, a left-hander, starts for New York on Monday night against left-hander Justin Wrobleski of the Dodgers. On Tuesday night, Nolan McLean will pitch for the Mets against Dodger right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto. On Wednesday, the Mets will send Clay Holmes to face Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani.

The Mets and Dodgers have split 26 regular-season games since 2022.

Pirates look to stay on top

Look at who is in first place in the NL Central. It’s none other than the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are off to a 9-6 start as they hope to reach the postseason for the first time since 2015.

The Pirates haven’t won a division title since 1992, and 147 games remain this season. Still, excitement is building in Pittsburgh as the Pirates begin a seven-game homestand, hosting the Washington Nationals for four games and the Tampa Bay Rays for three.

Nationals left fielder James Wood was the NL Player of the Week last week.

Soriano Day on Friday

Friday is Jose Soriano Day, as the Los Angeles Angels host the San Diego Padres. Soriano has pitched so well this season that Soriano Day now joins Skenes Day and Skubal Day on the baseball calendar.

Soriano is 4-0, allowing one run in 27 innings for a 0.33 ERA. Few expected this from a pitcher who went 10-11 with a 4.26 ERA in 31 starts last year.

Big Lefty debuts

Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Noah Schultz, a 6-foot-10 lefty, is set for his MLB debut Tuesday at home against the Rays. Baseball America ranks him No. 21 overall.

Schultz is 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three Triple-A Charlotte starts this season. The White Sox drafted him in the first round in 2022 from Oswego (Ill.) East High School.

Can Cubs pitchers stay healthy?

Can the Chicago Cubs get through the week without losing another pitcher? With eight already on the IL, they play three at Philadelphia against the Phillies before returning home for a three-game series with the Mets.

Relievers Phil Maton and Hunter Harvey were placed on the IL over the weekend.