Nationals-Mets series highlights weekend TV schedule

While we wait for football season to start, some of the big names who switched teams before today's baseball trade deadline will be on display this weekend in several marquee matchups in the majors highlighted by the Washington Nationals vs. New York Mets and the Los Angeles Angels vs. Los Angeles Dodgers.

TODAY

Nationals at Mets (4 p.m., MLBN (314)): Las Vegan Bryce Harper (National League-leading 29 home runs) and the first-place Nats, who acquired closer Jonathan Papelbon on Tuesday from the Philadelphia Phillies, will face the Mets in a showdown between the top two teams in the National League East. Washington left-hander Gio Gonzalez (8-4, 3.83 ERA) will oppose Mets righty Matt Harvey (9-7, 3.16) as the Nats try to extend their three-game division lead.

The teams also will be featured at 5 p.m. Sunday on ESPN (30), with New York rookie Noah Syndergaard (5-5, 2.70), a former 51s standout, slated to start against Washington's Jordan Zimmermann (8-6, 3.36).

Angels at Dodgers (7 p.m., FSW (49)): In the first of six games this season in the Freeway Series, Clayton Kershaw (8-6, 2.51) will look to extend his 29-inning scoreless streak for the Dodgers and Hector Santiago (7-4, 2.43) will try to continue his career year for the Angels.

All three games of the series will be shown on FSW, with the Dodgers' Zack Greinke (9-2, 1.37) opposing the Angels' Andrew Heaney (5-0, 1.79) at 1 p.m. Saturday, and C.J. Wilson (8-8, 3.89) starting for the Halos at 1 p.m. Sunday against a pitcher to be determined by the Dodgers, who acquired starters Mat Latos and Alex Wood on Thursday in a three-team, 13-player deal.

BEST OF REST: LPGA Tour: Women's British Open, second round (6 a.m., ESPN2 (31)); PGA Tour: Quicken Loans National, second round (11:30 a.m., TGC (339)).

SATURDAY

Kansas City Royals at Toronto Blue Jays (10 a.m., MLBN (314)): The Blue Jays went all-in in their bid to end baseball's longest active postseason drought (21 years) by acquiring shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and pitcher David Price. The American League-leading Royals added pitcher Johnny Cueto and utilityman Ben Zobrist.

BEST OF REST: Boxing: Premier Champions, Danny Garcia vs. Paulie Malignaggi (6 p.m., ESPN (30)); LPGA Tour: Women's British Open, third round (7 a.m., ESPN2 (31)); PGA Tour: Quicken Loans National, third round (10 a.m., TGC (339), noon, CBS (8)).

SUNDAY

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Pennsylvania 400 (10:30 a.m., NBCSP (38)): Las Vegan Kyle Busch looks to become only the second NASCAR Sprint Cup driver in 20 years to win four straight races. Busch became the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2007 to win three straight when he took the checkered flag in Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Busch, a Durango High School product, has won four of the past five races to tie for the series lead with Johnson despite missing the first 11 weeks with a broken leg and foot.

There have been only 14 win streaks of four races or more in NASCAR history, including Johnson's run in 2007 and Gordon's four-race streak in 1998.

BEST OF REST: MLB: New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox (11 a.m., TBS (7)); LPGA Tour: Women's British Open, final round (7 a.m., ESPN2 (31)); PGA Tour: Quicken Loans National, final round (10 a.m., TGC (339)), noon, CBS (8)).

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354. Follow him: @tdewey33.