******Official Twins 2019 thread*****
- Thread starter ChisHawk81
- Start date
I had no idea what his full legal name was...until now. And Kepler is his mom's maiden name.
Also, how crazy cool is it that his mom left the USA as a 15 year old to pursue dancing in Germany, his dad defected from Poland and fate brought them together?
In the top of the 10th inning of today's game, the score was tied at 2 and the Rays had the bases loaded and 0 outs!!
Oh, crap, right?
Nope! This is your soon to be World Series Champion Twins we are talking about!
* The next Rays batter? Infield fly, batter out! 1 out!
* The next Rays batter? A strike out! 2 outs!
* The next Rays batter?
Well, watch for yourself as the Twins record the 3rd out of the inning:
Oh, crap, right?
Nope! This is your soon to be World Series Champion Twins we are talking about!
* The next Rays batter? Infield fly, batter out! 1 out!
* The next Rays batter? A strike out! 2 outs!
* The next Rays batter?
Well, watch for yourself as the Twins record the 3rd out of the inning:
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Defense has been good this year, too.
Another example comes from the top of the 13th of today's game.
Watch:
Another example comes from the top of the 13th of today's game.
Watch:
Here's another example from today's game of the crazy good defense your soon to be World Series Champion Minnesota Twins are playing.
Watch:
Watch:
Here's a random tidbit from that 18-inning marathon between the Rays and Twins: Five different players went 0-for-7 or worse. Per Elias, the last game with at least five players going 0-for-7 or worse happened Sept. 21, 1901, in a 17-inning game between the Boston Beaneaters (Braves) and the Chicago Orphans (Cubs). Moral of the story: We really need to bring back the Beaneaters and Orphans nicknames.
Twins put Rosario on 10-day IL with ankle sprain
3:51 PM CT
The Minnesota Twins have placed outfielder Eddie Rosario on the 10-day injured list because of a left ankle sprain.
The move is retroactive to Thursday.
A night earlier, Rosario hurt the ankle while trying to turn a single into a double in the third inning of Minnesota's 6-4 loss to the Rays. He was held out of the lineup Thursday in the Twins' 18-inning loss to Tampa Bay.
Rosario is hitting .282 with a team-best 20 home runs and 60 RBIs.
3:51 PM CT
The Minnesota Twins have placed outfielder Eddie Rosario on the 10-day injured list because of a left ankle sprain.
The move is retroactive to Thursday.
A night earlier, Rosario hurt the ankle while trying to turn a single into a double in the third inning of Minnesota's 6-4 loss to the Rays. He was held out of the lineup Thursday in the Twins' 18-inning loss to Tampa Bay.
Rosario is hitting .282 with a team-best 20 home runs and 60 RBIs.
The All Star break cannot come soon enough.
The injuries are really mounting up.
Minnesota Twins Injuries/Updates:
Jun 28
Marwin Gonzalez
Status10-day il
Gonzalez (hamstring) took batting practice on the field and did some baserunning prior to Friday's game, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Byron Buxton
Status10-day il
Buxton (wrist) took batting practice on the field and did some baserunning prior to Friday's game, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Eddie Rosario
Status10-day il
Rosario (ankle) will be placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Jun 27
Willians Astudillo
Status10-day il
The Twins placed Astudillo on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a left oblique strain.
Jun 21
Fernando Romero
StatusDay-to-day
Romero was placed on the minor-league injured list Friday with a lower-back strain, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
Jun 20
Adalberto Mejia
Status60-day il
Jun 17
Trevor Hildenberger
StatusDay-to-day
Hildenberger was placed on the 7-day injured list Monday with a right flexor mass strain.
Jun 4
Andrew Vasquez
StatusDay-to-day
Vasquez landed on the 7-day injured list with a left shoulder strain Tuesday, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
May 25
Luke Raley
StatusDay-to-day
Raley needs surgery on a dislocated tendon in his left ankle, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Brusdar Graterol
StatusDay-to-day
Graterol was placed on the 7-day injured list at Double-A Pensacola with a shoulder impingement, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Stephen Gonsalves
StatusDay-to-day
Gonsalves is dealing with a stress reaction in his elbow/forearm and will be shut down indefinitely, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Akil Baddoo
StatusDay-to-day
Baddoo will have reconstructive elbow surgery and the hope is that he is ready for spring training in 2020, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Aug 2
Thomas Hackimer
StatusDay-to-day
Hackimer was placed on the 7-day disabled list with a right shoulder strain, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
The injuries are really mounting up.
Minnesota Twins Injuries/Updates:
Jun 28
Marwin Gonzalez
Status10-day il
Gonzalez (hamstring) took batting practice on the field and did some baserunning prior to Friday's game, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Byron Buxton
Status10-day il
Buxton (wrist) took batting practice on the field and did some baserunning prior to Friday's game, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
Eddie Rosario
Status10-day il
Rosario (ankle) will be placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Jun 27
Willians Astudillo
Status10-day il
The Twins placed Astudillo on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a left oblique strain.
Jun 21
Fernando Romero
StatusDay-to-day
Romero was placed on the minor-league injured list Friday with a lower-back strain, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
Jun 20
Adalberto Mejia
Status60-day il
Jun 17
Trevor Hildenberger
StatusDay-to-day
Hildenberger was placed on the 7-day injured list Monday with a right flexor mass strain.
Jun 4
Andrew Vasquez
StatusDay-to-day
Vasquez landed on the 7-day injured list with a left shoulder strain Tuesday, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
May 25
Luke Raley
StatusDay-to-day
Raley needs surgery on a dislocated tendon in his left ankle, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Brusdar Graterol
StatusDay-to-day
Graterol was placed on the 7-day injured list at Double-A Pensacola with a shoulder impingement, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Stephen Gonsalves
StatusDay-to-day
Gonsalves is dealing with a stress reaction in his elbow/forearm and will be shut down indefinitely, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Akil Baddoo
StatusDay-to-day
Baddoo will have reconstructive elbow surgery and the hope is that he is ready for spring training in 2020, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports.
Aug 2
Thomas Hackimer
StatusDay-to-day
Hackimer was placed on the 7-day disabled list with a right shoulder strain, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
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June 29, 2019
10:30 am CT
At the start of the day, we are exactly 1/2 way through the season (81 games).
The Twins are in good shape, with an 8 game lead over 2nd place Cleveland.
Despite the current 2 game losing streak, the Twins are still on pace for a 104-58 (.642) record.
They play as well at home as they do away:
26-14 HOME
26-15 AWAY
Record vs the AL & NL:
17-09 AL East
18-10 AL Central
14-06 AL West
03-04 vs NL teams
______________
52-29 Overall
10:30 am CT
At the start of the day, we are exactly 1/2 way through the season (81 games).
The Twins are in good shape, with an 8 game lead over 2nd place Cleveland.
Despite the current 2 game losing streak, the Twins are still on pace for a 104-58 (.642) record.
They play as well at home as they do away:
26-14 HOME
26-15 AWAY
Record vs the AL & NL:
17-09 AL East
18-10 AL Central
14-06 AL West
03-04 vs NL teams
______________
52-29 Overall
no minor league rehab? good!
can you tell Byron to stop running into walls, please?
July 1, 2019 ESPN Power Rankings:
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2019 record: 57-29
Week 12 ranking: 1
Hyun-Jin Ryu, Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler were named to the All-Star team, making the Dodgers the fifth team in the past 20 years to have three starting pitchers make it (2018 Astros, 2011 Phillies, 2011 Giants, 2010 Yankees). Not making it but on a roll of late: Julio Urias, who pitched three more scoreless innings in relief in Sunday's win. He hasn't allowed a run in 17 innings in his past seven appearances, which includes four three-inning outings. -- Schoenfield
ICYMI: On pace for 110 wins, is this finally the Dodgers' year?
2. New York Yankees
2019 record: 54-28
Week 12 ranking: 2
The Yankees went to London, and their starting pitchers allowed 10 runs in the first inning in two games -- and the Yankees won both games, thanks to 29 runs of offense. They had two six-run innings on Saturday and a nine-run inning on Sunday. The team's final June hitting stats: .286/.361/.499 and 6.77 runs per game, helping the team to a 17-9 record. -- Schoenfield
ICYMI: Yankees say Stanton likely out until August
3. Minnesota Twins
2019 record: 53-30
Week 12 ranking: 3
The loss of Eddie Rosario for the final week of the first half depletes the outfield depth, but at least a healthy Byron Buxtonreturns to handle center field. The Twins will miss Rosario's power numbers, but his ankle injury is not serious. A more aggressive Rosario -- fewer walks but fewer whiffs -- is making more and harder contact, has made strides to produce more power and is no longer a liability against left-handed pitching. He broke out in 2017, but this version could be even better. -- Eric Karabell
ICYMI: Twins' Max Kepler leading baseball's charge into Europe
4. Houston Astros
2019 record: 53-32
Week 12 ranking: 4
Houston is as talented and deep as any club in the majors, but even the Astros can absorb only so many injuries. The position players have been especially hard hit the past few weeks, which doesn't explain a pitching staff with an ERA over 6.00 during an ongoing downturn. The relievers (6.40 ERA since June 15) have been especially troublesome. The Astros have dropped nine of 12 and suddenly find themselves looking over their shoulders at the hard-charging Rangers in the AL West race. -- Bradford Doolittle
5. Atlanta Braves
2019 record: 50-35
Week 12 ranking: 5
Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his 20th home run on Sunday, making him the 13th player in MLB history with multiple 20-homer seasons before turning 22 (Tony Conigliaro had three; the others had two). Acuna is also the youngest player to reach 20 HRs and 10 SBs before the All-Star break. Acuna will be joined in the NL starting lineup for the All-Star Game by teammate Freddie Freeman (his second straight All-Star start). Freeman's two-run double on Sunday gave him 33 RBIs for June, the most by a Braves player in a calendar month since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966. (Mark Teixeira had 32 in August 2007.) -- Schoenfield
ICYMI: Where does Acuna rank on Law's 25 under 25?
6. Tampa Bay Rays
2019 record: 48-36
Week 12 ranking: 6
Things can change quickly in baseball. Early on, it looked like Tampa Bay might run away with the AL East. Then it looked like the Rays would at least be going toe-to-toe with the Yankees, with one team angling for the division and the other home field for the coin-flip game. But with injuries wreaking havoc on the Rays' pitching staff and ace Blake Snell suffering through a brutal month of June, Tampa Bay has suddenly rejoined the scrum for the AL wild-card slots, and it's now the Yankees who threaten to run away with the East. The Rays need to right the ship in a hurry, a project that would be greatly helped if Snell can rediscover his form. -- Doolittle
ICYMI: McKay takes perfect game into sixth in his MLB debut
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
2019 record: 57-29
Week 12 ranking: 1
Hyun-Jin Ryu, Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler were named to the All-Star team, making the Dodgers the fifth team in the past 20 years to have three starting pitchers make it (2018 Astros, 2011 Phillies, 2011 Giants, 2010 Yankees). Not making it but on a roll of late: Julio Urias, who pitched three more scoreless innings in relief in Sunday's win. He hasn't allowed a run in 17 innings in his past seven appearances, which includes four three-inning outings. -- Schoenfield
ICYMI: On pace for 110 wins, is this finally the Dodgers' year?
2. New York Yankees
2019 record: 54-28
Week 12 ranking: 2
The Yankees went to London, and their starting pitchers allowed 10 runs in the first inning in two games -- and the Yankees won both games, thanks to 29 runs of offense. They had two six-run innings on Saturday and a nine-run inning on Sunday. The team's final June hitting stats: .286/.361/.499 and 6.77 runs per game, helping the team to a 17-9 record. -- Schoenfield
ICYMI: Yankees say Stanton likely out until August
3. Minnesota Twins
2019 record: 53-30
Week 12 ranking: 3
The loss of Eddie Rosario for the final week of the first half depletes the outfield depth, but at least a healthy Byron Buxtonreturns to handle center field. The Twins will miss Rosario's power numbers, but his ankle injury is not serious. A more aggressive Rosario -- fewer walks but fewer whiffs -- is making more and harder contact, has made strides to produce more power and is no longer a liability against left-handed pitching. He broke out in 2017, but this version could be even better. -- Eric Karabell
ICYMI: Twins' Max Kepler leading baseball's charge into Europe
4. Houston Astros
2019 record: 53-32
Week 12 ranking: 4
Houston is as talented and deep as any club in the majors, but even the Astros can absorb only so many injuries. The position players have been especially hard hit the past few weeks, which doesn't explain a pitching staff with an ERA over 6.00 during an ongoing downturn. The relievers (6.40 ERA since June 15) have been especially troublesome. The Astros have dropped nine of 12 and suddenly find themselves looking over their shoulders at the hard-charging Rangers in the AL West race. -- Bradford Doolittle
5. Atlanta Braves
2019 record: 50-35
Week 12 ranking: 5
Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his 20th home run on Sunday, making him the 13th player in MLB history with multiple 20-homer seasons before turning 22 (Tony Conigliaro had three; the others had two). Acuna is also the youngest player to reach 20 HRs and 10 SBs before the All-Star break. Acuna will be joined in the NL starting lineup for the All-Star Game by teammate Freddie Freeman (his second straight All-Star start). Freeman's two-run double on Sunday gave him 33 RBIs for June, the most by a Braves player in a calendar month since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966. (Mark Teixeira had 32 in August 2007.) -- Schoenfield
ICYMI: Where does Acuna rank on Law's 25 under 25?
6. Tampa Bay Rays
2019 record: 48-36
Week 12 ranking: 6
Things can change quickly in baseball. Early on, it looked like Tampa Bay might run away with the AL East. Then it looked like the Rays would at least be going toe-to-toe with the Yankees, with one team angling for the division and the other home field for the coin-flip game. But with injuries wreaking havoc on the Rays' pitching staff and ace Blake Snell suffering through a brutal month of June, Tampa Bay has suddenly rejoined the scrum for the AL wild-card slots, and it's now the Yankees who threaten to run away with the East. The Rays need to right the ship in a hurry, a project that would be greatly helped if Snell can rediscover his form. -- Doolittle
ICYMI: McKay takes perfect game into sixth in his MLB debut
7. Chicago Cubs
2019 record: 45-39
Week 12 ranking: 8
In Cole Hamels and Craig Kimbrel, the Cubs pair up two of the pitching stars of the current decade, with Hamels ranking fourth among starting pitchers by WAR and Kimbrel ranking first among relievers. They were teammates on the active roster exactly one day, a brevity stemming from Hamels' oblique injury that landed him on the IL. The Cubs have said all along that they like their pitching depth. We're going to find out if they had good reason. -- Doolittle
ICYMI: Answering key questions after Kimbrel's first Cubs save
8. Boston Red Sox
2019 record: 44-40
Week 12 ranking: 7
It's hard to talk about the Red Sox these days without talking about their bullpen. For the season, Sox relievers have 17 saves -- and 17 blown saves (only the Mets have more). That matches the highest total of blown saves Boston has had before the All-Star break since the stat became official in 1969. Last year, the Sox had 20 blown saves the entire season. It's safe to assume that Dave Dombrowski is working the phones -- hard. -- Steve Richards
ICYMI: It's time for Red Sox to fix their bullpen issues
9. Oakland Athletics
2019 record: 46-39
Week 12 ranking: 13
The author of the 300th no-hitter in MLB history earlier this season, Mike Fiers is coming off an excellent June to cement his rep as the Athletics' top starter this season. For the month, Fiers went 4-0 with quality starts in all five turns, all games the A's won, and each of them a win after an A's loss. He has an eight-start streak of quality starts, and in his past 10 -- beginning with his no-hitter -- his ERA is 2.39. -- Kahrl
ICYMI: Are the A's MLB's version of the NHL's St. Louis Blues?
10. Texas Rangers
2019 record: 46-38
Week 12 ranking: 17
Maybe the Rangers are going to hang in there after all. Despite losing two of three to the Rays, Texas had a 5-2 week, and Mike Minor, an AL All-Star, keeps rolling along. Minor leads MLB in pitcher WAR (5.7) and the AL in ERA (2.40) and ERA+ (209). Minor's previous career high in ERA+ as a starter was 117 in 2013 with the Braves. So, yeah, this is a career year. -- Richards
ICYMI: Who's the Rangers' first-half unsung hero?
11. Colorado Rockies
2019 record: 44-40
Week 12 ranking: 9
Wade Davis' struggles since his return from the injured list have put the Rockies in a tough spot. He's just 4-for-6 converting saves with a 10.45 ERA in his 11 appearances since activation, costing his team four losses in games the Rockies either led or were tied entering the ninth inning. Meanwhile, Scott Oberg, who filled in during Davis' absence, has been effective during that time span, creating questions about whether a change is in order. -- Tristan H. Cockcroft
ICYMI: Even for homer-happy 2019, offense is out of control at Coors Field
12. Milwaukee Brewers
2019 record: 45-39
Week 12 ranking: 12
The past three weeks have been rough for the Brewers, a slump with one silver lining: The Cubs haven't caught fire, so the NL Central still looks wide-open. There hasn't been one glaring sore spot for Craig Counsell's group. Since the onset of the slump with a loss on June 11, Milwaukee has ranked 22nd in both runs per game and staff ERA. There's no one group to blame, but there are a whole lot of leaks that suddenly need plugging. -- Doolittle
ICYMI: Brewers recall top prospect Hiura, option Shaw
13. Cleveland Indians
2019 record: 45-38
Week 12 ranking: 11
Rookie Oscar Mercado has been the answer the Indians needed to find in center field; they're 10-4 in his starts up the middle, and his .844 OPS and .356 wOBA in June ranked third in the lineup, trailing just Carlos Santana and Francisco Lindor. June also saw Jason Kipnis' bat come back to life but not that of Jose Ramirez (.269 wOBA). -- Kahrl
14. Washington Nationals
2019 record: 42-41
Week 12 ranking: 14
Anthony Rendon is hitting .311/.398/.630, ranking fourth in the NL in wOBA, and was rewarded with his first All-Star selection -- long overdue for one of the game's underrated stars. Not underrated: Max Scherzer, who fanned 14 in eight innings in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Tigers, his first game back in Detroit since he left the Tigers. That's four straight double-digit strikeout games, tied for the second-longest streak of his career. He had six in a row back in 2017. -- Schoenfield
ICYMI: How the Nationals have battled back into the playoff picture
15. Philadelphia Phillies
2019 record: 44-40
Week 12 ranking: 16
The return to relevance of third baseman Maikel Francomakes a huge difference to a struggling lineup. Franco hit .170 with one home run in May but homered three times in this week's four-game sweep of the Mets. With the team's center-field depth depleted, emerging Scott Kingeryseems a better fit there, but only if Franco, with his career at a crossroad, keeps producing at the hot corner. -- Karabell
ICYMI: Phillies, Mets collide on road to nowhere
16. St. Louis Cardinals
2019 record: 41-41
Week 12 ranking: 10
The Cardinals' rough week began with news that closer Jordan Hicks is out for the remainder of the season (and part of next) due to Tommy John surgery, but it was their starters who couldn't deliver a lead to their bullpen during a five-game losing streak from June 23 to 29. Carlos Martinez, who had five saves and a 1.93 ERA while filling in as the team's closer last September, is expected to step into the role again in Hicks' stead. -- Cockcroft
17. Arizona Diamondbacks
2019 record: 43-43
Week 12 ranking: 18
Arizona failed to take advantage of two recent series against the last-place Giants, going 3-4, with the Dodgers and Rockies on the horizon. Meanwhile, the confounding Robbie Ray, he of tantalizing stuff and mediocre results, took a step back in June. For the month, he went 1-4 with a 5.00 ERA, allowing nine home runs over 36 innings in six starts. In six May starts, he went 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA, allowing just one homer in 30⅓ innings. -- Richards
18. Los Angeles Angels
2019 record: 42-43
Week 12 ranking: 19
The return of shortstop Andrelton Simmons solidifies a key position with arguably the top defender in the game but also adds a high-contact bat to the middle of the lineup. Simmons missed a month with an ankle sprain and returned Thursday. He previously spent much of this season hitting in the No. 4 spot, but with a healthy Justin Upton and Shohei Ohtani, the club has options. Simmons is obviously not Mike Trout, but thanks to his glove, he remains one of the most valuable players in the sport. -- Karabell
ICYMI: Ohtani throws off mound but won't pitch in 2019
19. Cincinnati Reds
2019 record: 38-43
Week 12 ranking: 15
Is there a changing of the guard at closer in Cincinnati? Usual finisher Raisel Iglesias struggled through June for a 7.11 ERA, and he walked seven of the 34 batters he faced, while Michael Lorenzen has stepped in for each of the team's past three saves. Lorenzen had a 2.92 ERA, 15 strikeouts and just two walks in 13 appearances in June. -- Cockcroft
ICYMI: Cubs' Strop: Puig 'stupid' for fuming after HBP
20. San Diego Padres
2019 record: 42-41
Week 12 ranking: 20
Fernando Tatis Jr. missed 38 days with a left hamstring strain earlier this season but hasn't skipped a beat since his activation from the injured list on June 6, hitting .383/.457/.691 with five home runs, 15 RBIs, six stolen bases and 26 runs scored. He and Christian Yelich are the only players who can claim as many homers and steals during that time. -- Cockcroft
ICYMI: Where is Tatis on Law's 25 under 25
21. Pittsburgh Pirates
2019 record: 39-43
Week 12 ranking: 22
The Pirates' offense has been carrying the team during what has been a 9-5 run in their past 14 games, with the team scoring 80 runs in the process. Leadoff man Kevin Newman has played a major part in that, batting .343/.367/.594 in that stretch with 12 RBIs, three home runs and two stolen bases. -- Cockcroft
22. Chicago White Sox
2019 record: 39-42
Week 12 ranking: 23
The scorecard for the White Sox's offseason acquisitions has a lot of red on it, something that became more evident this week when Yonder Alonso was designated for assignment. Of the free agents, none of Jon Jay(injury trouble), Ervin Santana or, especially, Kelvin Herrera has worked out. Neither have trade acquisitions Alonso and Ivan Nova. There were a couple of solid additions: closer Alex Colome and catcher James McCann. But going forward, as the White Sox exit rebuilding mode, they'll have to score better on the transaction front. -- Doolittle
ICYMI: Dream job: White Sox PBP announcer Jason Benetti
A ****ing Grand slam from Chris Hermann. Christ Almighty.
Cleveland just 7 back.. This is gonna get interesting. Twins had their chance to put them away and crush their hopes but instead Indians in a spot to potentially make a few moves at the deadline, something I doubt they’d do if they were 11-12 games back.
Yep. A couple weeks ago I was expecting them to be sellers, but that might not be the case anymore. We need the break right now, bad.
What dipshits, why would they keep him in knowing he had a blister issue there? Side Note, Ordorizzi was a part of 2 of the biggest Royals trades that led to the 2014 runner up and 2015 world series championship.
Nice ESPN video discussing the Twins.
Do we have a team built for October that can beat the Astros, the Yankees & the Dodgers and win the World Series?
Or do we have simply a team that is built to plateau at winning the division and winning 100 games?
Watch:
Do we have a team built for October that can beat the Astros, the Yankees & the Dodgers and win the World Series?
Or do we have simply a team that is built to plateau at winning the division and winning 100 games?
Watch:
Playoff tiers: How many teams are still in the postseason race?
It feels as if we have more teams in playoff contention than in recent seasons. But let's verify that and check the July 4 standings from the past five years:
2018: 14 teams within five games of the playoffs, five division races within 4½ games.
2017: 18 teams within five games of the playoffs, four division races within 4½ games.
2016: 18 teams within five games of the playoffs, two division races within 4½ games
2015: 20 teams within five games of the playoffs, five division races within 4½ games.
2014: 17 teams within five games of the playoffs, six division races within 4½ games.
Biggest division lead for a team that ultimately missed the playoffs: The 2015 Nationals were 4½ games up on the Mets on July 4. They went 38-43 after that and the Mets went 49-31 to win the division by eight games.
Biggest lead for any playoff spot for a team that missed the playoffs: Those 2018 Mariners who were up seven on the A's for the second AL wild card. Seattle went 34-41 the rest of the way while Oakland went 49-26.
Biggest lead for a team that blew a division lead: The 2016 Giants were up five on the Dodgers, but the Dodgers ended up winning the division by four games. The Giants did get a wild-card spot.
So, bottom line: We might end up with only one close division race.
But where does your team stand? Let's break the league into five playoff tiers, with playoff odds courtesy of FanGraphs (entering Tuesday):
LOOKING LIKE LOCKS
Los Angeles Dodgers (100%): It feels as if one of the most underappreciated stories of the season is the Dodgers being on a 107-win pace. I get it, the Red Sox won 108 last season. But the Red Sox did it in a sad-sack American League where three teams lost 100 games and two more lost 95-plus. The Dodgers are doing it in a much more balanced league from top to bottom. Of course, the bullpen remains flawed and maybe that's why we don't think of the Dodgers as a superteam.
Houston Astros (99.5%): That recent seven-game losing skid erased some of their invincibility, but the Astros are just getting their full lineup back together, Yordan Alvarezhas added a booming left-handed stick and the bullpen depth is excellent. On paper, they should still rule the West: FanGraphs projects 100 wins and a 15-win edge over the A's in the final standings. Still, I would suggest they're more vulnerable than the 98.6% odds to win the division that FanGraphs gives them. The Rangers and A's aren't as strong on paper, but they're close enough that stranger things have happened.
New York Yankees (99.2%): Even with the concerns about the starting rotation, it's starting to look as if the Yankees might run away with the AL East as the Rays staggered in June and the Red Sox -- as we saw in London -- continue to have major pitching issues.
Minnesota Twins (97.3%): They haven't just beat up on the AL Central, as they're 17-9 versus the AL East and 14-6 versus the AL West. Their seven-game lead over the Indians appears safe as FanGraphs gives them a 92% chance of winning the division. They lead the majors in home runs and batting average as the week kicks off, so any trade additions will probably come on the pitching front.
Atlanta Braves (94.1%): Where's this four-team NL East bob and weave we expected? The Braves pulled away with a 20-8 record in June, and the promotion of Austin Riley and addition of Dallas Keuchel have given them even more depth. Like seemingly every other team, they'll be on the prowl for bullpen help, but after hitting .277/.352/.520 in June, this lineup looks very deep and very scary.
THE OTHER FAVORITES RIGHT NOW
Tampa Bay Rays (77.7%): As the Yankees surged in June, the Rays went 13-16 and fell from 1½ games out of first to seven games behind. They need to get Blake Snell rolling again and maybe his Sunday start (12 K's, three hits in six innings) will get him back to Cy Young form. Rookie call-up Brendan McKaylooked terrific in his major league debut Saturday and All-Star Charlie Mortonand Yonny Chirinos have been excellent. It will be up to the offense for the Rays to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2013.
Chicago Cubs (75%): They entered the week tied with the Brewers, but FanGraphs likes the on-paper Cubs more than the on-paper Brewers, giving Chicago 61.4% odds to win the division compared to 26.3% for the Brewers. The Cubs do have a big advantage in run differential (plus-64 runs to minus-4), but these teams feel much closer in talent. The Cubs also continue to struggle on the road, with a 16-25 record and 4-14 over their past 18.
Washington Nationals (61.8%): FanGraphs projects a .555 winning percentage the rest of the way, second best in the NL behind the Dodgers. Those playoff odds include a 19% chance of winning the division and a 42.8% chance of a wild-card berth. They have the stars, but the bullpen continues to be one of the worst in MLB history with a 6.30 ERA. Fix that -- somehow -- and maybe they find a way to sneak into October.
Boston Red Sox (57.3%): How many times have we said "bullpen" so far? The Red Sox have 17 blown saves (at any point in the game), second worst in the majors behind the Mets. Amazingly, they actually lead the majors in bullpen strikeout rate -- which proves that there's more to pitching than strikeouts.
Milwaukee Brewers (54.7%): The Cubs and Brewers still have 13 games left against each other -- six games in 10 days in late July/early August, three games at Wrigley at the end of August and a four-game series at Milwaukee the following weekend. But they don't play the final three weeks and both teams finish with season-ending road trips. I think the NL Central goes down to the wire once again.
David SchoenfieldESPN Senior Writer- LINK to Full Story: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/27099928/playoff-tiers-how-many-teams-the-postseason-race
It feels as if we have more teams in playoff contention than in recent seasons. But let's verify that and check the July 4 standings from the past five years:
2018: 14 teams within five games of the playoffs, five division races within 4½ games.
2017: 18 teams within five games of the playoffs, four division races within 4½ games.
2016: 18 teams within five games of the playoffs, two division races within 4½ games
2015: 20 teams within five games of the playoffs, five division races within 4½ games.
2014: 17 teams within five games of the playoffs, six division races within 4½ games.
Biggest division lead for a team that ultimately missed the playoffs: The 2015 Nationals were 4½ games up on the Mets on July 4. They went 38-43 after that and the Mets went 49-31 to win the division by eight games.
Biggest lead for any playoff spot for a team that missed the playoffs: Those 2018 Mariners who were up seven on the A's for the second AL wild card. Seattle went 34-41 the rest of the way while Oakland went 49-26.
Biggest lead for a team that blew a division lead: The 2016 Giants were up five on the Dodgers, but the Dodgers ended up winning the division by four games. The Giants did get a wild-card spot.
So, bottom line: We might end up with only one close division race.
But where does your team stand? Let's break the league into five playoff tiers, with playoff odds courtesy of FanGraphs (entering Tuesday):
LOOKING LIKE LOCKS
Los Angeles Dodgers (100%): It feels as if one of the most underappreciated stories of the season is the Dodgers being on a 107-win pace. I get it, the Red Sox won 108 last season. But the Red Sox did it in a sad-sack American League where three teams lost 100 games and two more lost 95-plus. The Dodgers are doing it in a much more balanced league from top to bottom. Of course, the bullpen remains flawed and maybe that's why we don't think of the Dodgers as a superteam.
Houston Astros (99.5%): That recent seven-game losing skid erased some of their invincibility, but the Astros are just getting their full lineup back together, Yordan Alvarezhas added a booming left-handed stick and the bullpen depth is excellent. On paper, they should still rule the West: FanGraphs projects 100 wins and a 15-win edge over the A's in the final standings. Still, I would suggest they're more vulnerable than the 98.6% odds to win the division that FanGraphs gives them. The Rangers and A's aren't as strong on paper, but they're close enough that stranger things have happened.
New York Yankees (99.2%): Even with the concerns about the starting rotation, it's starting to look as if the Yankees might run away with the AL East as the Rays staggered in June and the Red Sox -- as we saw in London -- continue to have major pitching issues.
Minnesota Twins (97.3%): They haven't just beat up on the AL Central, as they're 17-9 versus the AL East and 14-6 versus the AL West. Their seven-game lead over the Indians appears safe as FanGraphs gives them a 92% chance of winning the division. They lead the majors in home runs and batting average as the week kicks off, so any trade additions will probably come on the pitching front.
Atlanta Braves (94.1%): Where's this four-team NL East bob and weave we expected? The Braves pulled away with a 20-8 record in June, and the promotion of Austin Riley and addition of Dallas Keuchel have given them even more depth. Like seemingly every other team, they'll be on the prowl for bullpen help, but after hitting .277/.352/.520 in June, this lineup looks very deep and very scary.
THE OTHER FAVORITES RIGHT NOW
Tampa Bay Rays (77.7%): As the Yankees surged in June, the Rays went 13-16 and fell from 1½ games out of first to seven games behind. They need to get Blake Snell rolling again and maybe his Sunday start (12 K's, three hits in six innings) will get him back to Cy Young form. Rookie call-up Brendan McKaylooked terrific in his major league debut Saturday and All-Star Charlie Mortonand Yonny Chirinos have been excellent. It will be up to the offense for the Rays to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2013.
Chicago Cubs (75%): They entered the week tied with the Brewers, but FanGraphs likes the on-paper Cubs more than the on-paper Brewers, giving Chicago 61.4% odds to win the division compared to 26.3% for the Brewers. The Cubs do have a big advantage in run differential (plus-64 runs to minus-4), but these teams feel much closer in talent. The Cubs also continue to struggle on the road, with a 16-25 record and 4-14 over their past 18.
Washington Nationals (61.8%): FanGraphs projects a .555 winning percentage the rest of the way, second best in the NL behind the Dodgers. Those playoff odds include a 19% chance of winning the division and a 42.8% chance of a wild-card berth. They have the stars, but the bullpen continues to be one of the worst in MLB history with a 6.30 ERA. Fix that -- somehow -- and maybe they find a way to sneak into October.
Boston Red Sox (57.3%): How many times have we said "bullpen" so far? The Red Sox have 17 blown saves (at any point in the game), second worst in the majors behind the Mets. Amazingly, they actually lead the majors in bullpen strikeout rate -- which proves that there's more to pitching than strikeouts.
Milwaukee Brewers (54.7%): The Cubs and Brewers still have 13 games left against each other -- six games in 10 days in late July/early August, three games at Wrigley at the end of August and a four-game series at Milwaukee the following weekend. But they don't play the final three weeks and both teams finish with season-ending road trips. I think the NL Central goes down to the wire once again.
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DEFINITELY STILL IN IT
Cleveland Indians (44.2%): A lot can go wrong in a baseball season. On Opening Day, FanGraphs pegged the Indians as a 97-win team with an 89% chance of winning the division and a 95% chance of making the playoffs. Then Francisco Lindor missed the start of the season, Corey Kluber got hurt, Mike Clevinger got hurt, Jose Ramirez went from MVP candidate to hitting like Rafael Ramirez, and Carlos Carrasco came down with a blood condition. Oh, and they don't score enough runs. Yet somehow the Indians began the week just a half-game out of a wild-card spot. Give a lot of credit to Terry Francona, pitching coach Carl Willis and the organizational pitching depth (and an 8-1 record against the Tigers).
Colorado Rockies (25%): The Rockies have four All-Star position players, so the offense is great and the pitching is mediocre, right? Not so fast. The Rockies are actually second in the NL in road ERA, but they are just 20-23 away from home. As always, scoring runs on the road remains on issue. The other issue is the back of the rotation. Kyle Freeland, fourth in last year's Cy Young voting, struggled so much he's back in Triple-A (with a 11.12 ERA). German Marquezand Jon Gray have been terrific, but Colorado certainly could use another starter, although it hasn't been in the Rockies' DNA to make a big midseason trade even as they made the playoffs the past two seasons.
Philadelphia Phillies (24.9%): Other than a four-game sweep against the Mets last week, it has been a tough three weeks for the Phillies. They've given up five or more runs in 13 of their past 20 games. Don't put all the blame on the pitching, however, as the Phillies are eighth in the NL in runs and 11th in home runs despite their hitter-friendly home park. Offseason additions Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Jean Segura have been OK, but not as OK as expected. As they go in the second half, so might the Phillies' season.
St. Louis Cardinals (20.5%): The Cardinals are sitting at .500 and they're projected to finish at .500. Maybe this is just a .500 team -- especially when Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Carpenter and Yadier Molina are each sitting with below-average OPS. They'll have to figure out the back of games without Jordan Hicks and need better second halves from Jack Flaherty and Miles Mikolas, but the playoff hopes seem to rest on the expensive shoulders of their three 30-something veteran hitters.
Oakland Athletics (17.3%): Here come the A's, setting themselves up for another patented second-half run, a hallmark throughout the Billy Beane era. After going 14-18 through April, they went 15-10 in May and 17-11 in June with a plus-70 run differential those two months. Maybe the biggest surprise is that the A's are fourth in the AL in rotation ERA, although Frankie Montas (9-2, 2.70 ERA) is in the midst of an 80-game PED suspension. (He'll be ineligible for the playoffs if the A's make it.) It will be interesting to see what moves Beane makes. Last year, he traded for Jeurys Familia, Mike Fiers, Shawn Kelley and Fernando Rodney. Top prospect Jesus Luzardo is off the injured list and has made two starts in Triple-A, so he could help the rotation in a few weeks as well.
San Diego Padres (12%): Did we mention the NL wild-card race is crowded? Heading into Tuesday's games, seven teams were separated by only two games. In other words: Maybe this is the year the baseball gods give us that seven-way tie for two wild-card spots. In more words: Fernando Tatis Jr., Franmil Reyes, Manny Machado and Hunter Renfroe make this one of the most exciting lineups in the game. Not one of the best -- they strike out too much and don't walk -- but the first half has been intriguing enough and the farm system is so deep that maybe A.J. Preller makes a couple of additions at the trade deadline. The Padres haven't made the postseason since 2006, so they might have more incentive for a wild-card push than other organizations.
Arizona Diamondbacks (12%): The Diamondbacks lost Goldschmidt, Patrick Corbin and A.J. Pollock, but give them credit for not just tearing things down and rebuilding. They've remained competitive, in large part due to the continued excellence of Zack Greinke plus the breakout performances of Ketel Marte and Eduardo Escobar. They're in the same boat as the Padres: What do you do at the trade deadline when it's all about getting into a 50-50 coin-flip game?
Texas Rangers (5.4%): Those odds feel low given the Rangers entered Tuesday in possession of a wild-card spot (a half-game ahead of the Indians and A's). FanGraphs projects just a .463 winning percentage the rest of the way and it's certainly easy to see some regression here: Mike Minor and Lance Lynn will be hard-pressed to repeat their first-half numbers -- they rank first and fourth in the AL in pitching WAR. But maybe Minor and Lynn are just having career seasons.
Cleveland Indians (44.2%): A lot can go wrong in a baseball season. On Opening Day, FanGraphs pegged the Indians as a 97-win team with an 89% chance of winning the division and a 95% chance of making the playoffs. Then Francisco Lindor missed the start of the season, Corey Kluber got hurt, Mike Clevinger got hurt, Jose Ramirez went from MVP candidate to hitting like Rafael Ramirez, and Carlos Carrasco came down with a blood condition. Oh, and they don't score enough runs. Yet somehow the Indians began the week just a half-game out of a wild-card spot. Give a lot of credit to Terry Francona, pitching coach Carl Willis and the organizational pitching depth (and an 8-1 record against the Tigers).
Colorado Rockies (25%): The Rockies have four All-Star position players, so the offense is great and the pitching is mediocre, right? Not so fast. The Rockies are actually second in the NL in road ERA, but they are just 20-23 away from home. As always, scoring runs on the road remains on issue. The other issue is the back of the rotation. Kyle Freeland, fourth in last year's Cy Young voting, struggled so much he's back in Triple-A (with a 11.12 ERA). German Marquezand Jon Gray have been terrific, but Colorado certainly could use another starter, although it hasn't been in the Rockies' DNA to make a big midseason trade even as they made the playoffs the past two seasons.
Philadelphia Phillies (24.9%): Other than a four-game sweep against the Mets last week, it has been a tough three weeks for the Phillies. They've given up five or more runs in 13 of their past 20 games. Don't put all the blame on the pitching, however, as the Phillies are eighth in the NL in runs and 11th in home runs despite their hitter-friendly home park. Offseason additions Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Jean Segura have been OK, but not as OK as expected. As they go in the second half, so might the Phillies' season.
St. Louis Cardinals (20.5%): The Cardinals are sitting at .500 and they're projected to finish at .500. Maybe this is just a .500 team -- especially when Paul Goldschmidt, Matt Carpenter and Yadier Molina are each sitting with below-average OPS. They'll have to figure out the back of games without Jordan Hicks and need better second halves from Jack Flaherty and Miles Mikolas, but the playoff hopes seem to rest on the expensive shoulders of their three 30-something veteran hitters.
Oakland Athletics (17.3%): Here come the A's, setting themselves up for another patented second-half run, a hallmark throughout the Billy Beane era. After going 14-18 through April, they went 15-10 in May and 17-11 in June with a plus-70 run differential those two months. Maybe the biggest surprise is that the A's are fourth in the AL in rotation ERA, although Frankie Montas (9-2, 2.70 ERA) is in the midst of an 80-game PED suspension. (He'll be ineligible for the playoffs if the A's make it.) It will be interesting to see what moves Beane makes. Last year, he traded for Jeurys Familia, Mike Fiers, Shawn Kelley and Fernando Rodney. Top prospect Jesus Luzardo is off the injured list and has made two starts in Triple-A, so he could help the rotation in a few weeks as well.
San Diego Padres (12%): Did we mention the NL wild-card race is crowded? Heading into Tuesday's games, seven teams were separated by only two games. In other words: Maybe this is the year the baseball gods give us that seven-way tie for two wild-card spots. In more words: Fernando Tatis Jr., Franmil Reyes, Manny Machado and Hunter Renfroe make this one of the most exciting lineups in the game. Not one of the best -- they strike out too much and don't walk -- but the first half has been intriguing enough and the farm system is so deep that maybe A.J. Preller makes a couple of additions at the trade deadline. The Padres haven't made the postseason since 2006, so they might have more incentive for a wild-card push than other organizations.
Arizona Diamondbacks (12%): The Diamondbacks lost Goldschmidt, Patrick Corbin and A.J. Pollock, but give them credit for not just tearing things down and rebuilding. They've remained competitive, in large part due to the continued excellence of Zack Greinke plus the breakout performances of Ketel Marte and Eduardo Escobar. They're in the same boat as the Padres: What do you do at the trade deadline when it's all about getting into a 50-50 coin-flip game?
Texas Rangers (5.4%): Those odds feel low given the Rangers entered Tuesday in possession of a wild-card spot (a half-game ahead of the Indians and A's). FanGraphs projects just a .463 winning percentage the rest of the way and it's certainly easy to see some regression here: Mike Minor and Lance Lynn will be hard-pressed to repeat their first-half numbers -- they rank first and fourth in the AL in pitching WAR. But maybe Minor and Lynn are just having career seasons.
NOT OUT OF IT, BUT HOPES ARE SLIM
Cincinnati Reds (7.2%): This is frustrating. The Reds finally have a good rotation (second-best ERA in the NL), but the offense has struggled and the bullpen hasn't been clutch (24th in the majors in the FanGraphs "clutch" index). The Reds are 39-44 and 4½ games out of a wild-card spot and just 5½ behind the Brewers, but they do have a plus-37 run differential, fifth best in the NL and are 39 runs better than the Brewers, which is why their playoff odds still hover this high. Still, they have a lot of teams to jump over and they could end up being sellers if they don't get on a hot streak soon.
New York Mets (6.6%): FanGraphs projects a rest-of-season winning percentage of .518 -- better than the Phillies, Brewers and Rockies -- so we can't count the Mets out just yet. Hey, it's not inconceivable for Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler to perform much better in the second half. Still, it will take a 10-game winning streak just to get back over .500, and the bullpen is a complete disaster right now. I'll take the under on that 6.6%.
Pittsburgh Pirates (6.2%): They're ahead of the Reds in the standings and have received a breakout season from Josh Bell, plus surprising rookie seasons from Bryan Reynolds and Kevin Newman, but they lack power. And with Chris Archer struggling and Jameson Taillon on the IL, the rotation -- supposedly the strength of the team -- has been a letdown. They have 27 games left against the Cubs and Cardinals -- 35% of their remaining schedule.
Los Angeles Angels (2.2%): The devastating death of Tyler Skaggs will be a difficult emotional hurdle to overcome. From a baseball standpoint, he'd also been their best starting pitcher (7-7, 4.29 ERA). The Angels have a tough schedule the rest of the way, including 17 games against the Astros -- somehow they've played them only twice so far. They also have two series against the Red Sox, one at Yankee Stadium and two games at Dodger Stadium. It looks like another season with Mike Trout watching the playoffs on TV.
Chicago White Sox (0.1%): The White Sox have probably overachieved just to be a few games under .500 as FanGraphs forecasts some big-time regression in the second half (.425 winning percentage the rest of the way). Lucas Giolitoand James McCann have been two of the biggest surprises and made the All-Star team. Yoan Moncada has already surpassed last year's WAR, and Eloy Jimenez has shown why he'll be an elite slugger. At least they're interesting for the first time in a long time.
TIME TO PLAN THOSE CARIBBEAN VACATIONS FOR OCTOBER
San Francisco Giants: Thanks to one of the best bullpens in the game, the Giants haven't been a complete disaster in 2019, but the long rebuild is just beginning. Some of those relievers will be traded, Madison Bumgarner might be traded and six of the eight players with the most plate appearances are 30 or older.
Seattle Mariners: The season is disappointing only in the context of that 13-2 start. The Mariners didn't expect to contend and this is a bad baseball team, especially horrid on defense and in the bullpen. Jerry Dipoto has already churned through 32 pitchers (not including position players) and 15 of the 32 have an ERA over 6.00. Yuck. A few bright spots: Daniel Vogelbach hits bombs and draws walks; J.P. Crawford has hit since his call-up; the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz trade looks good with those two struggling and Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn making the Futures Game.
Toronto Blue Jays: The Jays' .372 winning percentage would be their first below .450 since 2004 and their worst since a .349 mark in 1981. That was one bad baseball team. They hit .226 and averaged just 3.1 runs per game. However, they had three 21-year-old outfielders named Jesse Barfield, George Bell and Lloyd Moseby who became the foundation of the 1985 playoff team, the first in franchise history. This Jays team will hope that Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio and Bo Bichette (probably called up in the second half) will be this generation's version of Barfield, Bell and Moseby. Now they just need a Dave Stieb.
Miami Marlins: The Marlins actually have played respectable baseball for the past month and a half. Since a 10-31 start through May 15, they've gone 22-20. There isn't much offense here and it's not even a young lineup (the average position player age is older than league average), but the starting rotation is young and has been effective.
Kansas City Royals: The Royals are probably the most interesting of the bottom-feeders thanks to Adalberto Mondesi's all-world excitement, Hunter Dozier's breakout at the plate and Whit Merrifield's all-around excellence. They will be tempted to trade Merrifield -- he's a perfect fit for the Dodgers -- and given that he's 30 years old, they should at least listen very closely to offers for him.
Detroit Tigers: Well, the Tigers are last in the AL in runs, home runs, average, OBP and slugging. They've averaged 3.42 runs per game in a league that has averaged 4.81 per game. Put it this way: Their wRC+ (adjusted for league and park) of 75 would be the third worst since 2000, better only than the 2004 Diamondbacks (74) and 2013 Marlins (74). Their big question: Do they cash in on the strong seasons of starter Matthew Boyd and closer Shane Greene? I'd keep Boyd and hope for a future rotation built around him, Spencer Turnbull, Casey Mize and Matt Manning. That seems the best/only hope to get back into playoff contention by 2021 or 2022.
Baltimore Orioles: The 2002-03 Tigers went 55-106 and 43-119. In 2006, they were in the World Series. The 2012-13 Astros went 55-107 and 55-111. In 2015, they were in the playoffs and in 2017 they won the World Series. Don't give up, Orioles fans!
Cincinnati Reds (7.2%): This is frustrating. The Reds finally have a good rotation (second-best ERA in the NL), but the offense has struggled and the bullpen hasn't been clutch (24th in the majors in the FanGraphs "clutch" index). The Reds are 39-44 and 4½ games out of a wild-card spot and just 5½ behind the Brewers, but they do have a plus-37 run differential, fifth best in the NL and are 39 runs better than the Brewers, which is why their playoff odds still hover this high. Still, they have a lot of teams to jump over and they could end up being sellers if they don't get on a hot streak soon.
New York Mets (6.6%): FanGraphs projects a rest-of-season winning percentage of .518 -- better than the Phillies, Brewers and Rockies -- so we can't count the Mets out just yet. Hey, it's not inconceivable for Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler to perform much better in the second half. Still, it will take a 10-game winning streak just to get back over .500, and the bullpen is a complete disaster right now. I'll take the under on that 6.6%.
Pittsburgh Pirates (6.2%): They're ahead of the Reds in the standings and have received a breakout season from Josh Bell, plus surprising rookie seasons from Bryan Reynolds and Kevin Newman, but they lack power. And with Chris Archer struggling and Jameson Taillon on the IL, the rotation -- supposedly the strength of the team -- has been a letdown. They have 27 games left against the Cubs and Cardinals -- 35% of their remaining schedule.
Los Angeles Angels (2.2%): The devastating death of Tyler Skaggs will be a difficult emotional hurdle to overcome. From a baseball standpoint, he'd also been their best starting pitcher (7-7, 4.29 ERA). The Angels have a tough schedule the rest of the way, including 17 games against the Astros -- somehow they've played them only twice so far. They also have two series against the Red Sox, one at Yankee Stadium and two games at Dodger Stadium. It looks like another season with Mike Trout watching the playoffs on TV.
Chicago White Sox (0.1%): The White Sox have probably overachieved just to be a few games under .500 as FanGraphs forecasts some big-time regression in the second half (.425 winning percentage the rest of the way). Lucas Giolitoand James McCann have been two of the biggest surprises and made the All-Star team. Yoan Moncada has already surpassed last year's WAR, and Eloy Jimenez has shown why he'll be an elite slugger. At least they're interesting for the first time in a long time.
TIME TO PLAN THOSE CARIBBEAN VACATIONS FOR OCTOBER
San Francisco Giants: Thanks to one of the best bullpens in the game, the Giants haven't been a complete disaster in 2019, but the long rebuild is just beginning. Some of those relievers will be traded, Madison Bumgarner might be traded and six of the eight players with the most plate appearances are 30 or older.
Seattle Mariners: The season is disappointing only in the context of that 13-2 start. The Mariners didn't expect to contend and this is a bad baseball team, especially horrid on defense and in the bullpen. Jerry Dipoto has already churned through 32 pitchers (not including position players) and 15 of the 32 have an ERA over 6.00. Yuck. A few bright spots: Daniel Vogelbach hits bombs and draws walks; J.P. Crawford has hit since his call-up; the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz trade looks good with those two struggling and Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn making the Futures Game.
Toronto Blue Jays: The Jays' .372 winning percentage would be their first below .450 since 2004 and their worst since a .349 mark in 1981. That was one bad baseball team. They hit .226 and averaged just 3.1 runs per game. However, they had three 21-year-old outfielders named Jesse Barfield, George Bell and Lloyd Moseby who became the foundation of the 1985 playoff team, the first in franchise history. This Jays team will hope that Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Cavan Biggio and Bo Bichette (probably called up in the second half) will be this generation's version of Barfield, Bell and Moseby. Now they just need a Dave Stieb.
Miami Marlins: The Marlins actually have played respectable baseball for the past month and a half. Since a 10-31 start through May 15, they've gone 22-20. There isn't much offense here and it's not even a young lineup (the average position player age is older than league average), but the starting rotation is young and has been effective.
Kansas City Royals: The Royals are probably the most interesting of the bottom-feeders thanks to Adalberto Mondesi's all-world excitement, Hunter Dozier's breakout at the plate and Whit Merrifield's all-around excellence. They will be tempted to trade Merrifield -- he's a perfect fit for the Dodgers -- and given that he's 30 years old, they should at least listen very closely to offers for him.
Detroit Tigers: Well, the Tigers are last in the AL in runs, home runs, average, OBP and slugging. They've averaged 3.42 runs per game in a league that has averaged 4.81 per game. Put it this way: Their wRC+ (adjusted for league and park) of 75 would be the third worst since 2000, better only than the 2004 Diamondbacks (74) and 2013 Marlins (74). Their big question: Do they cash in on the strong seasons of starter Matthew Boyd and closer Shane Greene? I'd keep Boyd and hope for a future rotation built around him, Spencer Turnbull, Casey Mize and Matt Manning. That seems the best/only hope to get back into playoff contention by 2021 or 2022.
Baltimore Orioles: The 2002-03 Tigers went 55-106 and 43-119. In 2006, they were in the World Series. The 2012-13 Astros went 55-107 and 55-111. In 2015, they were in the playoffs and in 2017 they won the World Series. Don't give up, Orioles fans!
Twins place 1B Cron on IL with thumb injury
7:59 PM CT
Minnesota Twins first baseman C.J. Cron has been put on the injured list with right thumb inflammation, the team announced Saturday.
Cron is hitting .266 with 17 home runs and 54 RBIs this season for the Twins, who lead the AL Central by 6 1/2 games over the Cleveland Indians entering Saturday's games.
He had two doubles, drove in two runs and scored two more in the Twins' 15-6 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.
To replace Cron on the roster, the Twins recalled outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. from Triple-A Rochester. He appeared in one game for the Twins earlier this season.
7:59 PM CT
- ESPN
Minnesota Twins first baseman C.J. Cron has been put on the injured list with right thumb inflammation, the team announced Saturday.
Cron is hitting .266 with 17 home runs and 54 RBIs this season for the Twins, who lead the AL Central by 6 1/2 games over the Cleveland Indians entering Saturday's games.
He had two doubles, drove in two runs and scored two more in the Twins' 15-6 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night.
To replace Cron on the roster, the Twins recalled outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. from Triple-A Rochester. He appeared in one game for the Twins earlier this season.
The soon to be World Series Champion Minnesota Twins (56-32) won again today, 7-4 over Texas.
Marwin Gonzalez homered for the Twins, who lead the majors with 166 home runs this year and matched their total from last season.
Gonzalez is the 10th Minnesota player to reach double digits in homers, one shy of a club record set in 2016.
Baldelli said outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr., who was called up earlier in the day with C.J. Cron going on the injured list, will also be placed on the injured list after he dislocated his right thumb when he crashed into the wall while pursuing Andrus' home run. Jake Cave will be recalled from Triple-A Rochester.
The Twins also plan to option right-hander Kohl Stewart back to Triple-A to add another pitcher for Sunday's game. Left-hander Devin Smeltzer, who made his major league debut earlier this season, will return to Minnesota.
Marwin Gonzalez homered for the Twins, who lead the majors with 166 home runs this year and matched their total from last season.
Gonzalez is the 10th Minnesota player to reach double digits in homers, one shy of a club record set in 2016.
Baldelli said outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr., who was called up earlier in the day with C.J. Cron going on the injured list, will also be placed on the injured list after he dislocated his right thumb when he crashed into the wall while pursuing Andrus' home run. Jake Cave will be recalled from Triple-A Rochester.
The Twins also plan to option right-hander Kohl Stewart back to Triple-A to add another pitcher for Sunday's game. Left-hander Devin Smeltzer, who made his major league debut earlier this season, will return to Minnesota.
This is a pretty cool video of run #1 for the Twins today.
Scroll down, Hit the play button, & Watch:
Scroll down, Hit the play button, & Watch:
What will the Twins lead be when 7/24 rolls around.. I’m scared
Twins
3 at Cleveland (50-38)
2 vs Mets (40-50)
4 vs As (50-41)
3 vs Yanks (57-31)
Indians
3 vs twins (56-33)
4 vs tigers (28-57)
3 vs KC (30-61)
3 at Blue Jays (34-57)
Twins
3 at Cleveland (50-38)
2 vs Mets (40-50)
4 vs As (50-41)
3 vs Yanks (57-31)
Indians
3 vs twins (56-33)
4 vs tigers (28-57)
3 vs KC (30-61)
3 at Blue Jays (34-57)
The Twins were on the cover of Sports Illustrated on July 5, 1982. 5 years later they would be World Series Champions.
I sure hope the AS break cools the Indians off. As long as the Twins avoid a sweep in Cleveland, the fact that the next 3 series are in Minnesota helps me feel better.
It’s amazing how quickly things change! The Twins are in a skid, but hardly free-falling. But the Indians are on fire, and I don’t like it.
