This yr’s AL East is on observe to be the strongest division in MLB historical past.
Up till this week, when the New York Yankees dipped beneath .500 amid their ongoing swoon, all 5 AL East groups had been above .500 for almost all of the season. Entering the weekend the division’s collective win share was .554, which is one of the best for a five-team division in MLB historical past.
It’s been a gauntlet for a few years now. Last yr’s AL East set a brand new document with a .540 win share, and in 2021 4 of the 5 groups topped 90 wins.
Is this the way it’s going to be any further? Are these 5 groups destined to do battle endlessly?
Perhaps not.
As robust because the AL East is true now, the cracks are starting to point out and it received’t be a shock if a few former contenders started taking a step again.
Baltimore looks as if the one positive factor. The Orioles have emerged from the opposite facet of their years-long rebuild and now rank among the many greatest groups in baseball. They additionally boast baseball’s greatest farm system, together with MLB’s No. 1 prospect Jackson Holliday, a 19-year-old shortstop who’s posting online game numbers at Double-A.
Is proprietor John Angelos keen to spend the additional cash in free company to place this staff excessive? That’s nonetheless unclear, however the Orioles have positioned themselves nicely and ought to be contenders for years to come back.
Everyone else has some pink flags.
Tampa Bay all the time appears to discover a approach regardless of its monetary limitations, however even the Rays might have a tough time overcoming a few of their latest setbacks. This week Shane McClanahan grew to become the most recent Tampa Bay pitcher to endure Tommy John surgical procedure, and he’ll now miss the remainder of this season and all of subsequent as nicely.
Worse, franchise shortstop Wander Franco’s future may additionally now be doubtful. The 22-year-old famous person agreed to be positioned on the Restricted List earlier this week after allegations surfaced that Franco could have engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a minor.
Authorities within the Dominican Republic and MLB are at the moment investigating, and whereas there are clearly way more essential issues at stake than the scenario’s potential affect on the Rays, shedding Franco can be a devastating blow for the franchise.
Toronto may additionally be nearing the tip of its championship window. Most of the group’s greatest younger gamers have already reached the majors and the membership’s present farm system ranks close to the underside of the league. The Blue Jays are constructed to win now, but when they will’t get it achieved this yr it’s solely going to get more durable as stalwarts like George Springer, Kevin Kiermaier, Whit Merrifield, Matt Chapman and plenty of of their greatest pitchers age deeper into their 30s.
And the Yankees? Don’t even get me began.
Considering what the Yankees was, it’s stunning to see how dangerous issues have gotten within the Bronx. Outside of Aaron Judge the offense has grow to be completely punchless, and the membership will stay hamstrung by quite a few dangerous contracts for years to come back. Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu each stay below contract for not less than three extra years, and the Yankees nonetheless owe outfielder Aaron Hicks one other $21 million over the subsequent two years regardless of releasing him in May.
Theoretically, the Yankees might go full Steve Cohen and spend like loopy in free company, however that didn’t work out so nicely this yr for the Mets. We’ve seen nothing to counsel proprietor Hal Steinbrenner will embrace that method like his father George did so usually again within the day, so barring a serious turnaround New York may very well be taking a look at a few lean years.
So at minimal the Red Sox face the prospect of a juggernaut in Baltimore and certain a pesky contender in Tampa Bay. The Red Sox have loads of query marks of their very own, however with the membership’s long-term imaginative and prescient coming into focus it’s not exhausting to check this group competing in what ought to stay a powerful — however maybe not traditionally robust — division going ahead.
Troubling development for Tampa Bay
Losing Shane McClanahan to Tommy John surgical procedure goes to be an enormous blow, however the worst half for Tampa Bay is it’s solely the most recent in what has been a devastating run of accidents for the group’s pitching workers.
McClanahan is now the fourth huge league starter to endure the process up to now yr, becoming a member of Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen and high prospect Shane Baz, who would virtually definitely be one of many membership’s greatest starters by now if not for his setback final September. Those 4 alone would comprise a superb playoff rotation, and that doesn’t even embrace others like Tyler Glasnow, Andrew Kittredge and Jalen Beeks who’ve undergone the process over the previous few years.
Tampa Bay does nonetheless have three robust starters it may possibly depend on in Glasnow, Zach Elfin and newly acquired Andrew Civale, however past that it’s going to be a number of openers and bullpen days from right here on out. The Rays nonetheless have better than 90% playoff odds based on FanGraphs, however contemplating that they got here into the weekend 16-22 because the begin of July, the arrow positively isn’t pointing up.
Braves dominating MVP race
The National League MVP race continues to be up within the air, however it’s secure to say at this level that whoever wins will in all probability be a member of the Atlanta Braves.
Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson are each having fun with historic seasons and have emerged because the prohibitive favorites to win MVP. Though Acuña had lengthy been seen as a runaway, Olson’s made such a powerful push that he now warrants severe consideration as nicely.
Acuña, clearly, is only a beast. The 25-year-old entered the weekend batting .335 with 27 residence runs, 55 stolen bases and a .995 OPS, and he’s now on the verge of turning into simply the third participant in MLB historical past to hit 30 residence runs and steal 50 bases in a season. The different two had been Cincinnati’s Eric Davis (37 HR, 50 SB) in 1987 and then-Pittsburgh Pirates star Barry Bonds (33 HR, 52 SB) in 1990.
While it will require a monster final six weeks of the common season, it’s not out of the realm of risk Acuña might grow to be the primary participant in MLB historical past to submit a 40-50 season.
Olson, in the meantime, is already previous 40 residence runs and has an amazing probability at breaking Andruw Jones’ franchise document of 51 homers in a season. He had 43 getting into Friday and is on tempo to hit 59, placing him inside putting distance of turning into the second participant in consecutive years to achieve 60 after Aaron Judge hit 62 to interrupt the AL residence run document final season.
Who will win? The betting markets favor Acuña, however the Braves in all probability aren’t too anxious both approach. Having two MVP-level abilities on a roster with All-Stars at almost each place is the sort of spot each franchise goals of being in, and Atlanta ought to be the favorites to win their second World Series title in three years later this fall.
Dream infield
If you may construct a dream infield of anybody in MLB historical past, who would you decide? That query was requested by MLB Network in a viral social media submit, and it appeared like everybody within the baseball world had their very own imaginative and prescient of greatness.
Here’s mine.
Third base was simple: Mike Schmidt. The former Phillies nice hit 548 residence runs, had a .908 profession OPS and received 10 Gold Gloves. Schmidt was the full bundle and provides you every little thing you may presumably need.
Second base was additionally pretty easy: Joe Morgan. People of my technology principally keep in mind Morgan as a polarizing broadcaster, however again within the day he was an absolute menace on the diamond. Morgan had eight seasons with 100 or extra walks, and with 689 profession stolen bases he was just about assured to get into scoring place at any time when he received on base. He additionally by no means struck out, had a bit little bit of pop and received 5 Gold Gloves. Got to have him.
Shortstop was a bit bit harder. From a pure manufacturing standpoint the reply might be Alex Rodriguez. He received two Gold Gloves on the place and posted historic offensive numbers, however clearly his case is sophisticated by his acknowledged performance-enhancing drug use. So if not him, give me Cal Ripken Jr. Consistent all-around manufacturing, an excellent higher defender than his two Gold Gloves would counsel, and performs day by day.
For first base I’m going with Albert Pujols. The first decade of his profession Pujols was simply in one other stratosphere offensively, and though he by no means had a popularity of being an amazing defensive first baseman, his glove was higher than he received credit score for.
Finally for catcher: Johnny Bench. It’s a tricky name between him and Ivan Rodriguez, however Bench was a superior producer throughout a lighter offensive period and was additionally among the many greatest defensive catchers in historical past.
That’s who I’m rolling with. What about you?
Local arms pitching nicely
Walpole’s Cam Schlittler and North Andover’s Sebastian Keane, each former school teammates at Northeastern University, have gotten off to a powerful begin professionally within the New York Yankees group since being drafted final summer season.
Schlittler was lately promoted from the Florida Complex League to Low-A, and in 10 appearances (9 begins) between the 2 ranges he’d posted a 3.34 ERA over 32.1 innings getting into Friday. The 22-year-old right-hander earned the promotion after posting a 1.15 ERA over a 5 begin stretch in rookie ball, and since becoming a member of the Tampa Tarpons earlier this month he has a 4.09 ERA, together with one run allowed in every of his final two begins coming into the weekend.
As of Friday Keane had appeared in 17 video games out of the bullpen for the FCL Yankees, posting a 1.85 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 24.1 innings of labor. He lately earned his first profession save, and if Keane retains pitching like this a promotion to Single-A at some point appears seemingly.
Source: www.bostonherald.com