What’s Next: First-place Indians to be tested

We’re well into June and the week ahead marks the beginning of yet another important baseball countdown. As of Sunday, there will be only one month until the 87th All-Star Game is played at Petco Park in San Diego.

Teams want to get hot before the Midsummer Classic, to gain momentum quickly and ride it all the way to October. And a look at the standings shows us what’s next: pivotal matchups between clubs that are in contention and would like to stay there, and the potential for seriously high drama as the temperature continues to climb.

It’s one big week for the Indians, for example. They’re the hottest team in baseball after sweeping the Royals over the weekend to win their fifth game in a row and take over the top spot in the American League Central.

The Royals remain a game and a half out of first place, and the White Sox sit three games back. Chicago also gets a boost this week as newly acquired right-hander James Shields makes his debut Wednesday against Max Scherzer and the Nationals.

The Indians have other challenges ahead, with a four-game set on the road against the contending Mariners in Seattle and a three-game weekender in Anaheim against the Angels.

“We don’t want to be anywhere else [other than first place],” Indians first baseman Mike Napoli said.

“But it doesn’t mean anything right now. It’s the place you want to be, but we need to continue playing good ball as a team and things should take care of itself. We’re going to try to continue that and go from there.”

It’s likely that the AL West-leading Texas Rangers feel the same way. They took care of business over the weekend by sweeping their closest pursuer at the moment, the Mariners, and now they have a huge week ahead.

Texas, looking to defend its division title, stays home at Globe Life Park and hosts the resurgent Houston Astros in a …

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