The MLB season enters Week 18 with two teams in the running.
It was thought that no American League team would be able to catch up to the Yankees. Since July 3, New York has gone 13-20 and is now in a tie with Houston.
The Mets proved that they're the real deal by taking four of five games against the Braves this past weekend, while the Dodgers have kept rolling, with only five losses since the beginning of July.
Which team will win?
A combination of what we've seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season has resulted in our expert panel ranking every team in baseball. The experts were asked to observe all 30 teams.
Week 17 previews the second half of the season.
The record was 77-33.
The previous ranking was one.
L.A. has found another gear. It's riding a 10-game winning streak that included a three-game sweep of the Padres team that had just traded for Juan Soto and others. The Dodgers have won 30 of 35 games since the start of July, and their pitching has continued to dominate despite the absence of two of their best starting pitchers and two of their top relief pitchers. Most encouraging of all is that Max Muncy andCody Bellinger have been hot this month, and they are both at the top of the lineup.
The record was 73-40.
The previous ranking was four.
The Mets swept the Braves in a five-game series over the weekend. The odds of winning the division went from 73.6% to 91.9% after they entered the series up 3.5 games. Jacob deGrom gave up a walk and a home run to the first two hitters he faced in his second start of the year. The Braves whiffed on 18 of the 18 pitches they swung at, the first time since 2008 that a team has swung and missed 18 pitches in a row.
The record was 71-40.
The previous rank was 2.
Since the beginning of July, New York has been playing sub-.500 baseball, and its lead in the division is slowly decreasing as a result. Matt Carpenter fractured his left foot while playing for the Yankees and was placed on the injured list. The Mets snapped a five-game losing streak on Monday, but things are not going well for them.
The record was 71-40.
The previous ranking was three.
The Astros overtook the Yankees for the best record in the American League this week. Houston has more home games and has an easier finishing schedule. Home advantage could be important in the ALCS. Both teams have played well away from home. The Yankees have gone 41-15 in the Bronx and supported that record with the run differential of a 117- win team. It's easily the best home performance in the majors. It is possible that it won't matter. There was a nine-game gap between the teams when the Yankees were 49-16. The Astros erased that advantage within two months.
The record was 66-47.
The previous ranking was six.
The series against the Mets was disappointing and exposed some issues with the club. Ian Anderson was optioned to Triple-A to make room for the 27th man on the roster. Over the past 14 starts, Anderson has a 5.81ERA. Marcell Ozuna went 0-for-5 on Tuesday and has a.213 batting average. He's been dropped to sixth or seventh in the lineup, and he's now hitting.214 with a.270 OBP over the past two seasons, which is unacceptable for a designated hitter.
The record was 61-47.
The previous rank was 9.
After sweeping the Yankees, St. Louis vaulted into first place, but it was followed by a dud in Colorado on Tuesday. They aren't the first team to allow a crooked number at the park, so it shouldn't have a negative effect. TheCardinals have been the best team in the NL Central all season, but they haven't shown it yet. Their division is to lose.
The record was 60-50.
The previous ranking was seven.
The Blue Jays' offense took a hit as George Springer went on the IL with elbow inflammation, but the team is seeing an upswing from first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is hitting.......... There are some issues Toronto needs to figure out in the rotation with Yusei Kikuchi and Jose Berrios struggling. The team hopes that by trading for White it will be able to solve some of the problems it's having with the pitchers.
The record was 63 51.
The previous ranking was five.
The Padres got a big boost last week when they traded for Soto, Hader and Josh Bell. The Padres were swept by the Dodgers in L.A. The Padres have lost 17 of their last 19 games against the Dodgers. Chances are the Padres will be different by September when L.A. will be there nine more times. Their new stars should be settled in, and Fernando Tatis Jr. should be back after a stint in a rehabilitation center. The Padres plan to make a serious run at the top wild-card spot, which will allow them to host the entirety of a first-round three-game series.
The record was 62-47.
The previous rank was 11.
The best teams and the biggest names in baseball can be seen on the sports network.
Sunday, 7 pm The Yankees are playing the Red Socks.
Is that the team that has gone 41-19 since June 1? It's the Philadelphians. The Dodgers and Braves have the best records in that time period. They are ranked in the top 10 in several categories from that time period. They beat their opponent 92 to 58 and scored 76 runs against them. Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto have both hit over.300. The pitching has been led by Wheeler, who is 8-2 with a 2.27 ERA, and Nola, who is 6-3 with a 2.90 ERA. There are seven games against the Mets over the next couple of weekends.
The record was 58-54.
The previous ranking was twelve.
The new arrivals have had a slow start. Despite being in the second wild-card spot in the American League East, the team will need to manage injuries with Wander Franco still recovering from wrist surgery.
The record was 60-50.
The previous ranking was eight.
The Hader trade may have had an impact on Milwaukee. There isn't a way to measure it. There was an adjustment period that may still be going on. It's not an excuse to get swept by Pittsburgh and lose a series to Cincinnati, but at least a win on Tuesday helped correct the situation. Rowdy Tellez hit his 22nd home run on Friday, breaking his career high set with Toronto in 2019.
The record was 61-54.
The previous ranking was ten.
One of the games of the year is Tuesday's victory over the Yankees. It was the longest game of the season and the longest game without a run since the beginning of the year. The Yankees had just two plate appearances in the 11th and 12th as a result of some base running gaffes. Luis Torrens finally delivered the walk-off single, making the M's 7-2 in walk-off games and 7-4 in extra-inning games. Seattle's relief pitchers didn't allow a hit over the course of five frames.
The record was 57-54.
The previous ranking was 13.
After the Twins failed and decided to focus their deadline additions on the pitching staff, Minnesota found out that left fielder Alex Kirilloff was lost for the season with a wrist injury. Nick Gordon and Jake Cave have been shuffled around in left field. Kyle Garlick is recovering from an injury. After having surgery for a core muscle injury, the man is expected to return in September. The Twins might not be able to give him as much rest as he wants. With their hold in the American League Central lead loosened, it will be on Baldelli to pull the strings.
The record was 58-54.
The previous rank was 17
The Orioles are still in the race for a wild-card spot, just 1.5 games behind the Seattle, and five games ahead of the last place Boston. The team is ready to enter a decade-long window of winning, according to the team's general manager.
The record was 58-54.
The previous ranking was fourteen.
Which stars did not stay the same. Which contender made the most noise? Everything that happened before the deadline is here.
Those who won, those who lost and those who were in between.
There is a trade deadline tracker.
Every deal has a grade.
It wasn't going to be possible for Franmil to come back in time for the stretch run after he was demoted to the minor leagues. He was set adrift by the DFA process and now he's a member of the Cubs. His back-slide at the plate this season has been frustrating to watch, so it's understandable that he's been cut ties. Cleveland is very much in the race for both a division title and a wild card slot, and they need to put up some runs to win one of those races.
Oscar Gonzalez is getting a lot of plate appearances since returning from an abdominal injury, and the Indians seem to be going with in-house options for now. The departure of Reyes is an example of the Guardians morphing from a team that once emphasized a three-true-outcomes approach into one that values contact and athletic ability.
The record was 54-57.
The previous ranking was fifteen.
The Giants went from a winning season to a losing one in less than two years, and are currently in a state of disrepair. They have been one of the biggest reasons for their downfall. San Francisco's relief corps was especially deep and versatile last year, but this year it is noticeably lacking in reliable high-leverage arms, as evidenced by the team's late loss to the Padres. The Giants have the fifth-highest earned run average in the majors this season, and the second-highest since the start of July. It's difficult to know who to trust in their pen at the moment.
The record was 56-54.
The previous rank was 16.
The WhiteSox have been playing well for a month now, and while they haven't quite caught fire, they have managed to hang near the top of the division. The Chicago lineup was finally put together last week after Luis Robert was activated. Things were looking up on the South Side. The news came earlier this week that All-Star Tim Anderson would be out for four to six weeks with a hand injury. While trying to catch and pass the Twins, Chicago has to manage another injury. Initially, the plan appears to be to mix and match in the middle of the infield with Josh Harrison at second base, along with some mix of LeuryGarcia and rookies. Additional creativity may be required.
The record was 54-57.
The previous ranking was 18.
After taking two of three games against the Astros, Boston lost three of four to the Royals. Chris Sale is out for the season after breaking his wrist on a bike, which is a blow to the team as they head into the playoffs. Questions are emerging out of the front office about the direction and vision for the future of the team after Boston traded Christian Vazquez to the Astros.
The record was 49 61.
The previous rank was 19
Considering its winter spending spree, it's safe to say that Texas has under achieved. The way the American League has evolved, the Rangers should be in the playoffs. Going into games on Wednesday, they have a 23-41 record against teams with a plus-.500 winning percentage. Jon Gray and Martin Perez did well. It has been a learning year for the pitchers. There hasn't been enough of those moments on the mound for the Texas Rangers this season.
The record was over 50.
The previous rank was 21.
The D-backs will not make the playoffs, but they will not lose 100 games. Some of their biggest signs of encouragement have come in their rotation, where they have combined for a 2.98 earned run average over the course of 250 1/3 frames. Since the beginning of July, Kelly has allowed just nine runs. The pitcher is coming off a great performance against the Pirates.
The record was 49 61.
The previous ranking was twenty.
One of the biggest trades in baseball history was the move of Juan Soto to San Diego. You have to know what to know about the deal.
It means a lot for the Padres.
There are grades for Padres and Nationals.
The opening day of the baseball season? What are the names of Jesusnchez,Jorge Soler, andAvisailGarcia? Which one has been the most disappointing? With Soler andGarcia on the injured list, it's an opportunity for the other two to get some playing time. In 85 games in Triple-A, Bleday hit.229/.365/.478 with 99 strikeouts. Despite the low average, the hope is that he will draw some walks to post a decent OBP. In Double-A and Triple-A, Burdick hit.224 and.229, respectively, in his career.
The record was 49 63.
The previous rank was 22.
Mike Trout is trying to return from a back injury, and Shohei Ohtani is the only reason to watch the Angels. It is a good reason. His performance against the A's was a great example. He joined Babe Ruth as the only players with 10 wins and 10 homers in the same season. He hit his 25th homerun. Two years in a row, Ohtani has struck out at least 150 batters and hit at least 25 home runs in the same season.
The record was 50-64.
The previous rank was 23.
The Rockies are clearly eyeing contention next year, as evidenced by their stunning activity before the trade deadline. If that is the case, then they need to figure out a way to fix it. The ace of their staff was supposed to be Marquez, who will make 15 million next year and has a 16 million club option for the year 2024. He has a 5.18 earned run average, which is the highest among qualified starting pitchers, and his strikeout rate is down by almost five percentage points. He has improved recently.
The record was 45-65.
The previous rank was 24.
The No.1 draft pick is up for grabs, with Chicago, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh vying for it. The rest of the season is being used to test players in different situations, sometimes at the expense of making the right move. He's going to test at the plate as well. After being picked up by the Cubs, he will be given a chance to rediscover his game. In his first game on Tuesday, he drove in a run with an opposite field hit. The Cubs are hoping that power will come back to them.
The record was 44 66.
The previous rank was 25.
The Reds had a series win over the Brewers before losing to the Mets. Graham Ashcraft had a one-run performance in a win against Milwaukee. Cincinnati will give plenty of playing time to younger players the rest of the season, while also being in the hunt for the No. 1 draft pick next summer. The course for this season was set before the Reds even played a game. The unloading process happened after the trade deadline. The prospects from those trades should make it to the majors next year.
The record was 46 66.
The previous rank was 28.
It's nice to see a team play out the string of a non-contending season with as many as seven rookies in the lineup. The Royals' rebuild is getting a boost from the fact that all the rookies have done enough to get a chance to play in the majors. Brady Singer, a third-year righty, is the biggest development success of the year. After being bumped from the Royals' rotation, Singer was sent to the minor leagues in order to stretch him out for more work. K.C. hoped that Singer would become the frontline starter since he returned to the Royals in May. Singer is now 5-5 with 3.31 over 15 outings and the team's best average game score of 58.6.
The record was 45 66.
The previous rank was 26.
The Pirates are playing spoiler this season as they continue to take strides with young players. The sweep of Milwaukee was huge because it came right after the trade deadline. They didn't rip apart the heart and soul of the team like they did when they moved Tyler Anderson, Richard Rodriguez and all-star Adam Frazier. Ke'Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz are building around each other. Is it possible that the year could be a.500 or better one? It is not out of the question.
The record was 43 69.
The previous rank was 27.
In the first half of the season, which teams did well and which did not?
Everything from an A to an F was handed out.
Second-half preview for all 30 teams
As his chronic knee problems have begun to flare up again, he's been hard to watch over the last month, even though he was hitting.300 as recently as July 9. He told reporters that he may not be back for the last year of his contract. He said he would play out his agreement.
As Miggy ends his Hall of Fame career, the question is what to do with him. Even as he's struggled to stay healthy, Cabrera ranks third on the team in plate appearances, and more load management is needed. Since the start of the season, Cabrera has hit over.300 and slugged over.400 against left-handed pitchers. It might help space out his playing time enough to keep his knee strong, if a plan were to be put in place.
The record was 41- 71.
The previous rank was 29
The Oakland roster lacks star power because of the departure of Montas. Sean Murphy is leading the A's with a 3.3 bWAR and is slashing.235/.320/.450, while starter Cole Irvin is leading the staff with a 3.1 bWAR. Since the All-Star Break, Brown has smashed seven home runs.
The record was 37 76.
The previous rank was 30.
The first full season in the majors for Keibert was mixed. The contact ability has been very good, with a strikeout rate that is in the top 10 among qualified hitters. He has a low average on balls in play and is in the bottom 10% of hard-hitters. The Nationals would like to see more hard contact like that from him in the future. The defense is a work in progress, with below average framing metrics and a poor pop time to second base.
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