Which teams are leading at the midpoint of the season
Houston continues to close the gap between themselves and the Yankees, with New York losing three of their last six games, including one to the Astros. Meanwhile, the Dodgers won three of four against the division-rival Padres to further cushion their lead at the top of the NL West Division. Which team will come out on top in each league?
Our panel of experts combined to rank all of baseball’s teams based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew before the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season.
- New York Yankees
Record: 59-23
Previous ranking: 1
Sure, we could say something positive about the best team in baseball, but let’s hate the Yankees for a moment. Joey Gallo is batting a robust .167. (Lowest qualified average during the expansion era: Chris Davis batted .168 in 2018). He left the holiday weekend batting .149 with runners in scoring position and .032 in “end and close” situations.
So, should the Yankees look for an outfielder at the trade deadline? They could play Giancarlo Stanton more in right field, where his metrics are below average but not unplayable, and let Matt Carpenter take on more of the DH duties against righties if he stays hot. But you may end up exposing both players if you do that. Best bet: Yankees make a deal to upgrade the outfield depth.
- Houston Astros.
Record: 53-28
Previous ranking: 2
The Astros are the hottest team in baseball. They have been winning at home and away with pitching and offense against fellow contenders and also rans. After a mediocre start, Alex Bregman has caught fire. Yordan Alvarez continues to build an MVP case to match Shohei Ohtani on the West Coast and Aaron Judge on the East Coast. Justin Verlander continues to pitch less like a fresh out of Tommy John surgery and more like a 21st century version of “The Nuclear Man.” And for Yankees fans looking ahead to securing the eventual top seed in the American League playoff bracket, here’s a sobering thought: the Astros have the second-easiest remaining schedule, a slate that includes 43 home games, tied for second in the league.
- Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 52-29
Previous ranking: 3
The Dodgers were dealt a big blow Tuesday when they learned that Chris Taylor has a small fracture in his left foot that will keep him out for an extended period of time. The Dodgers continue to win at a high rate (they have won 12 of their last 16 games), but have several needs as the trade deadline approaches. The absences of Blake Treinen and Daniel Hudson has created a need in the back end of their bullpen. Walker Buehler’s extended absence will likely put them in play for a starting pitcher. And they may need some offense if some of their key hitters continue to struggle. They’re banged up, no doubt, but they’re still the Dodgers.
- New York Mets
Record: 51-31
Previous ranking: 4
Max Scherzer’s return to the rotation was a huge success as he allowed just two hits in six shutout innings with a season-high 11 strikeouts, throwing 79 pitches, even though the Mets ended up losing 1-0 to the Reds. He also matched his season-best pitching with a 97.1 mph stretch. “But I didn’t stretch back and really grunt,” he said. “Maybe the grunts will get here in a couple more weeks.”
Since Scherzer was inactivated on May 18, the Mets’ rotation had posted a 4.92 ERA, 23rd in the majors. Also in recovery: Jacob deGrom, who faced six batters Sunday in his first rehab start in a Class A game, fanning five of them and hitting 100 mph.
- Atlanta Braves
Record: 49-34
Previous ranking: 5
Dansby Swanson and Trea Turner are the two finalist shortstops on the National League All-Star Game ballot and it’s one of the best debates on the board as both have been outstanding. Entering Thursday, Swanson was leading Turner in Baseball-Reference WAR AND FanGraphs WAR. Swanson qualifies the lead for 2022, though Turner obviously has the longer track record of playing at an All-Star level. Interestingly, both are headed to free agency, making them two of the biggest names of the upcoming offseason.
