By: Michael Saladino
As the first half of the Major League Baseball season is at the halfway point, it is time to recap and look back to the season thus far. As we stand at the all star break, the New York Yankees hold the best record in baseball at 64 and 28. The Yankees, led by their superstar captain, Aaron Judge, have elevated his game to another level. Judge is leading the league in homeruns this season at 33. He also has 70 RBI’s on 96 hits. The Yankees have the best record in the league and American League.
Aaron Judge, who smacked his 20th homer of the season on Friday night, is the face of baseball right now. (Frank Franklin II/AP)
In the National League the Los Angeles Dodgers sit atop the standings. The Dodgers are in the quest once again to make another championship run come playoff time. The 60 and 30 Dodgers are led by a number of top players that include the likes of Clayton Kershew, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, Trea Turner, Cody Bellinger, and Gavin Lux. Standing in the Dodgers way in the NL are the New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, and Milwaukee Brewers. The red hot New York Mets are in first place in the NL East over the defending championship Braves. The Mets led behind some strong pitching of Max Schezer and Jacob Degrom. Degrom has not played a game all season for the Mets but if he gets fully healthy in time for the postseason, they can have a strong one, two punch for Games 1 and 2. The Mets elevated their offensive production with Starling Marte, Brandon Nimmo, and Francisco Lindor. Will see if the Mets can hold off the Braves in the second half of the season. The Mets took a big two out of three from the Braves just before the All star break. The Braves got hot at the right time last season leading to a World Series ring. I think if Ronald Acuca and Marcell Ozuna start to utilize their power and raise the level of number of homeruns they can run down the Mets before the season concludes.
Out in the NL Central, the Brewers hold a slim half game lead over the Cardinals. The Brewers in recent years have had plenty of success making the postseason but they just have not been able to get it done. They have Christian Yelich and some other high powered players such as; Willy Adams, Jonathan Davis, and Rowdy Tellez. The question will be and always with the Brewers can their bats get hot in the postseason. On the contrary, the St. Louis Cardinals are in play to make a run too. The Cardinals with Paul Goldschmitt and Nolan Arenado can get hot at any point. Goldschmitt has already been lighting it with 20 Home Runs this year and 70 RBI’s. If the Cardinals can just be more consistent late in the season, I think they can steal the division away from the Brewers.
The Minnesota Twins lead the AL Central by two games over the Cleveland Guardians. The Twins have led the division for most of the season. Carlos Correa has been a great addition for the Twins. With 33 RBIs this season and 11 homerun, Correa could deliver for the Twins come postseason while winning another division title. Correa from the Houston Astros, watches his old team continue to dominate. The Seattle Mariners have won 14 games in a row to go into the All Star break and still are 9 games back in the division. The Astros still have their loaded offense of Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Yuli Gurriel, Jeremy Pena, and Chaz McCormick (My guy always,representing the Ville) ! The Astros, love them or hate them, are always a major championship postseason favorite. Will see if they can break through this year and collect their second ring. After losing in the world series to the Washingston Nationals in 2019 and the Atlanta Braves last season.
Houston Astros’ Michael Brantley (23) celebrates with Yordan Alvarez (44) after hitting a grand slam against the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 17, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The other big change to this MLB season is the number of teams to make the postseason. There are now three wild card teams in the playoff picture. In the National League the spots are held by Braves, Padres, and split between the Phillies and Cardinals. The Giants are a half game back of that third spot. I can see the Braves, Padres, and Phillies making it to the postseason. You would guess that the Braves and Padres would be a lock in the postseason with those spots, maybe even the division. The Phillies even without Harper have played good ball to hang in there. As they get healthier I can see the Phillies outlasting the Giants to the postseason. I still think the Cardinals can beat out the Brewers for the NL Central.
In the American League the spots are held by the Tampa Bay Rays, the Seattle Mariners, and Toronto Blue Jays. The Boston Red Soxs are two games out of a spot. It is amazing how the entire AL East is playing this year. Currently, they have the Yankees, Rays, and the Blue Jays in the playoff picture right now. Even the Baltimore Orioles are .500 this season and went on a 10 game winning streak just before the break. They are even three and a half games out of a playoff spot. The Seattle Marines also have been the hottest team in baseball going into the break winning 14 games in a row. They currently hold the second wild card spot but they have a long way to go to win the division, nine games between the Astros. I can see the Rays, Blue Jays and possibly the Marines making the playoffs. The Red Soxs are the team that can contend to make one of those spots but it will be interesting to see who pulls it out as the season heads to October.
As always, it seems like this season will deliver plenty of drama down the stretch to the postgame. At my halfway predictions I can see Aaron Judge continue his first half success and win the league MVP. If the Yankees can lock up the best record in baseball they can have a home field advantage to the World Series through New York. I would love to see a subway series happen in the World Series but a more convincing matchup could be the Dodgers vs Yankees. Either way it will be exciting in the end and I’m looking forward to seeing how the season plays out.
Comments