For the second straight season, MLB has branded a specific weekend as Rivalry Weekend. It features mostly interleague play rivalries, so traditional rivalries like Dodgers-Giants, Cubs-Cardinals or Yankees-Red Sox won't be featured. Instead, these matchups are regionally-focused or tied together in some other way.
Give credit where due. It's an incredibly difficult task to fit the schedule together to line up something resembling a rivalry on the same weekend for every single team. MLB did the best it could logistically. Let's rank the 15 battles.
15. Diamondbacks vs. Rockies
Given that these are two of the youngest teams in baseball and there haven't been many division title races between them, there just isn't much history here to fall back on. The 2007 NLCS had some competition, even if it ended in a sweep. With the Rockies again being one of the worst teams in baseball and the D-backs appearing to be subpar, there isn't much excitement in 2026 either.
14. Athletics vs. Giants
Even if Sacramento isn't too far away, the luster is lost from the Bay Series with the A's having left Oakland. There was some good history with A's vs. Giants series in the Bay, including the 1989 World Series, though that was marred by an Earthquake.
As for this year, the A's are in first place -- albeit only one game over .500 -- but they aren't in Oakland or in their new permanent home yet. The Giants are terrible. This series isn't even in an actual MLB ballpark. That's a bummer, because there's always used to be a good chance for an A's-Giants series to be great.
13. Marlins vs. Rays
Does geography excite you? That's about all we've got here in the Battle of Florida or the "Citrus Series." Given that Florida was long made up of transplants and snowbirds, you'll often see a mix of Yankees and Red Sox fans in the state, in addition to other teams.
The die-hard followings for the Marlins and Rays just aren't big enough to have developed huge hatred for one another in these interleague games. But the Rays look awesome right now, and the Marlins aren't terrible either.
12. Orioles vs. Nationals
At least there's a good name here in the Beltway Series. Also, who isn't excited to discuss a long-standing cable television dispute? In terms of history, from 1961-71, after the St. Louis Browns became the Baltimore Orioles, there was a bit of an Orioles-Washington Senators rivalry.
The Senators became the Texas Rangers, though these Nats aren't even the same franchise. Only about 40 miles separate Baltimore from D.C. There are likely Orioles fans who hate that the Nats showed up and infringed on their territory, but this one doesn't seem all too exciting.
11. Red Sox vs. Braves
For those unaware, there's a connection between these two franchises through the city of Boston. The Braves franchise originated in Boston and was there until 1953 before moving to Milwaukee. It came to Atlanta for the 1966 season.
The Red Sox started as the Boston Americans in 1901, meaning these two franchises shared Boston for over 50 years. Is that really all that interesting these days? Probably not. Here in 2026, it appears to be a mismatch, as the Red Sox have been bad and the Braves have been one of the best teams in baseball.