On deck: Braves-Red Sox, Dodgers bullpen, Anthony Volpe position switch, Corbin Carroll's triples

Memorial Day always represents a milepost in the baseball season. Let’s take a look at the top five stories for the final week of May.

Contrived Boston rivalry

Most of Major League Baseball’s interleague rivalry series make sense, but then some are stretches.

One of those is the Atlanta Braves-Boston Red Sox. MLB is clearly playing off the idea that the Braves franchise originated in Boston.

It was two moves ago since the Braves were in Boston. They left for Milwaukee in 1953 and then shifted to Atlanta in 1966. Considering it has been 73 years since the Braves called Boston home, it is safe to think that what few Boston Braves fans are left no longer hold a grudge.

Regardless, in a week devoid of dramatic matchups, the Red Sox host the Braves in a three-game series that begins on Tuesday night at Fenway Park. The Braves are scheduled to start Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder and Chris Sale. The Red Sox will go with Ranger Suarez and Connelly Early in the first two games, but are undecided on who will pitch the finale.

At 36-18, the Braves have the best record in the National League despite losing two of three over the weekend to the Washington Nationals at home. The Red Sox have underachieved and are last in the American League East with a 22-30 record after being swept in a three-game weekend series by the Minnesota Twins at Fenway.

A bit of good news for the Red Sox will come Tuesday when ace left-hander Garrett Crochet throws batting practice as he continues his recovery from left shoulder tendinitis.

Dodgers' bullpen dominance

The Los Angeles Dodgers rotation is missing left-hander Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow because of injury. However, the bullpen has more than shouldered the load by pitching a franchise-record 38 consecutive scoreless innings despite missing injured closer Edwin Diaz.

The MLB record is 39 innings by Cleveland in 2017. The NL West-leading Dodgers will try to break it when they host the Colorado Rockies in a three-game series that begins Monday night.

Anthony Volpe is learning a new position

The New York Yankees' Anthony Volpe was the AL Gold Glove shortstop as a rookie in 2023. However, his defense has slipped to the point where Jose Caballero has become the Yankees' regular shortstop.

Volpe began working out at second base last week. He could make his debut at the position this week when the Yankees play a three-game road series against the Kansas City Royals and Athletics.

Corbin Carroll is a triples machine

Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll has hit eight triples this season. That easily leads the major leagues, as Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Chandler Simpson is second with four.

Carroll has already tripled 51 times in five seasons and is one away from the franchise record set by Stephen Drew from 2006-11. The Diamondbacks have a three-game road series against the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners this week.

Key Blue Jays injured

The Toronto Blue Jays had a rough time Sunday, and it went beyond losing at home to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Two stars left the game in the fifth inning as right-hander Dylan Cease had a sore left hamstring and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was hit on the right elbow with a pitch.

The defending AL champions can’t afford either player as they bring a 25-28 record into a week that includes a three-game home series against the Miami Marlins and a four-game road series with the Baltimore Orioles.