On deck: MLB trade deadline chaos could impact week's big series

Some of Major League Baseball's biggest trade chips have already been dealt (including three coveted starting pitchers), but more chaos is expected on Monday before MLB's trade deadline strikes at 6 p.m. (Eastern time).

After a late Saturday night deal, Tarik Skubal is now with the Los Angeles Dodgers. If scheduled pitching matchups hold true, Skubal could make his Dodgers debut at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.

Los Angeles Dodgers-Chicago Cubs holds intrigue

Not only could Skubal pitch for the Dodgers for the first time on Tuesday, but it is expected to come on the North Side against a team that certainly could have used his services the rest of the season. Now the Cubs, currently holding a wild-card spot and a solid second place in the National League Central, will have to see what trade-deadline additions they can make in addition to landing starting pitcher Kevin Gausman.

Could this be a postseason preview? If so, the Cubs hope to show better than they did at Chavez Ravine in late April when the Dodgers outscored them 22-10 and took two of three games.

Cleveland Guardians-Chicago White Sox battle for AL Central 

The Dodgers-Cubs matchup may draw the headlines, but a weekend series on the South Side could be a milestone on the path toward winning the AL Central.

Cleveland comes to Chicago for a three-game set beginning on Friday, and it's the last time the Guardians will visit the South Side this season. In late June, the White Sox took two of three from Cleveland in Chicago.

With Chicago holding a three-game lead over both the Guardians and Minnesota Twins, this is a series where Cleveland can gain ground or fall further back in what has become a competitive division in a wide-open American League.

As a note, Luis Castillo, acquired by the White Sox from the Seattle Mariners, is slated to make his Chicago home debut in the final game of the pivotal series on Sunday.

Atlanta Braves-New York Yankees will be postseason test

Break out the 1990s nostalgia as these two clubs battle over the weekend in the Bronx.

While there will be plenty of memories and mentions of the 1996 and 1999 World Series, this year's matchup is more about a pair of franchises prepping for a postseason run.

Atlanta has a comfortable lead in the NL East and the Yankees are in control of a wild-card spot and still within striking distance of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East, so the pressure may not be as high here as it will be in Chicago. However, this is still a high-profile series that could answer some questions for both teams after what should be an eventful end to this year's trade deadline.