The NBA introduced their in-season tournament last year, the UFC brought the BMF belt to the Octagon a couple of years ago, and now Major League Baseball is getting into game with its own special event: the inaugural Rivalry Weekend.
And we’ve got all the MLB odds you need to get into each game.
Baseball rivalries go back close over a century in some cases, while others are newer but just as intense. MLB has loaded this May weekend with 15 series that all have some kind of rivalry going.
Read on for the Rivalry Weekend odds and a betting preview…
View the latest MLB odds at Bovada
New York Mets vs New York Yankees
The so-called Subway Series – nicknamed because fans can take a quick subway to either team’s stadium and instantly get into a baseball rivalry like no other – opens Rivalry Weekend for MLB fans.
The New York Mets joined Major League Baseball in 1962, decades after the Yankees came into existence. But they quicky got the attention of the city’s baseball fans, and the “Mayor’s Trophy” game was created to pit the teams against each other in 1963. The young, expansion Mets took that game 6-2 in the Bronx, in the fabled Yankee Stadium.
From that point, the New York baseball rivalry was on. Although they only played in exhibition games for 20+ years because the Mets were in the National League and the Yankees in the American League, interleague play started in 1997 and they’ve played annually ever since, even squaring off in the 2000 World Series.
This year’s series is all about Juan Soto, the ex-Yankee all-star who jumped the subway to join the Mets in the off-season for a $765 million contract. It’ll be his first return to Yankee Stadium, and fans might not exactly be showing him the love.
Soto might have to take a back seat to the Yankees’ Aaron Judge though, when it comes to the spotlight. Judge is having a monster season so far, with a .412 batting average and 15 home runs already.
The Mets-Yankees Rivalry Weekend series could be an instant classic – both teams are first in their respective divisions heading into the weekend and are in the top 3 for Bovada’s World Series winner odds too.
Seattle Mariners vs San Diego Padres
This series has some great storylines going into it.
First off, both teams are on fire so far in the 2025 MLB season. Combined, they have the second-best records in the league out of all of this weekend’s matchups.
The Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez is just 24 and has already been an All-Star twice, along with being awarded a Rookie of the Year trophy. Meanwhile, the Padres’ Jackson Merrill picked up an All-Star invite in his rookie year last season and a Silver Slugger trophy.
Who will be the better man? That question is especially relevant because the game is also being featured as the first official Vedder Cup.
The Pearl Jam lead singer is a massive baseball fan and a Seattle icon. The Mariners and Padres have two season series coming this year, and the winner will take home the Vedder Cup trophy. It’s an initiative to support a charity run by Vedder.
Even more interesting? If the series is tied, one of the tiebreakers will come down to which team recorded the highest EV (Exit Velocity, and Eddie Vedder’s initials) on any home run during the series.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Philadelphia Phillies
Out of all the teams playing on this first official MLB Rivalry Weekend, the Pirates and Phillies have played each other the most.
Pittsburgh holds the winning record overall, 1,230-1,085. That’s over 2,300 games played between the storied franchises.
The highlight this weekend – while the Phillies should dominate overall – is the Pirates’ ace Paul Skenes battling Philly’s Cristopher Sanchez, one of the league’s top pitchers this season.
Plus, Phillies’ DH Kyle Schwarber is on a tear, with 15 homers and 33 RBIs already this season.
Check out all the Player Props at Bovada for this matchup and all the other Rivalry Weekend games as soon as the MLB odds are up for each game.
Los Angeles Angels vs Los Angeles Dodgers
Superstar pitcher/hitter Shohei Ohtani will face his former Angels teammates this weekend, bringing with him the usual highlight reel of stats.
Ohtani leads Major League Baseball with 46 runs scored this season, to go along with a .307 batting average and 13 home runs. He’s only played 4 games against his old crew, but in those games Ohtani has two homers, 5 RBIs and 4 runs scored.
Look for him to add to those totals – and you can bet on the game and player props – as he tees off against an Angels’ pitching staff that is currently 3rd-worst in the majors.
This LA-based rivalry is the closest of all the games on MLB Rivalry Weekend, with the Angels holding a slight edge at 75-73.
Cincinnati Reds vs Cleveland Guardians
The ”Ohio Cup” between the Reds and Guardians is another intra-state matchup for pro baseball’s Rivalry Weekend.
With the first official version dating back to 1997, there’s an actual trophy for the series winner too.
This rivalry goes way back, as the Cincinnati Red Stockings (cool name bro) were the first professional baseball team in 1869. They played Forest City, then the Cleveland team, later that same year.
This season, the Guardians have the upper hand with a 25-18 record, while the Reds are sitting at 20-24.
Guardians’ ace Tanner Bibee is on fire lately and he’s another player to wager on with player props. Bibee has a 2.16 ERA in his last 4 starts. Cleveland’s 3B Jose Ramirez is another player to watch – he’s homered in two straight games, including a 420-foot monster.
Looking for other games to get in on as we wrap up this MLB Rivalry Weekend preview?
You can wager on more than 70 MLB bets for each game, including the Nationals vs the Orioles in the Beltway Series and the Cubs vs the White Sox in the Crosstown Classic. (Pro tip: the new Pope is a White Sox fan, so bet accordingly).
