1. Los Angeles Dodgers | Overall: 67-35 | Last 10 games: 7-3
Since the All-Star break, the Dodgers still maintain the best record in the league and seem to be running away with the first seed in the National League. Although three late-game leads were ruined by the bullpen within this span, the Dodgers still have the 9th best bullpen ERA in the league. The Dodgers high-powered offense demolished 21 home runs in their last seven games. Also, if you haven’t heard, they have the potential MVP in Cody Bellinger and Cy Young in Hyun-Jin Ryu. The Dodgers completed this week with series wins against the Red Sox and Marlins and split a series with the Phillies.
Upcoming Series: vs LAA, @ WSH, @ COL
2. New York Yankees | Overall: 64-34 | Last 10 Games: 7-3
It should be 1a. and 1b. with the Dodgers and Yankees, respectively. This team has suffered an unbelievable amount of injuries to key players, yet it seems nothing can slow this team down. According to manager Aaron Boone, reliever Dellin Betances and starting pitcher Luis Severino are scheduled to throw off a mound in early August. The Yankees have the 2nd best bullpen ERA and the American League leader in batting average, DJ LeMahieu. This team is on an absolute tear, winners of 23 of their last 30 games and the starting rotation has a 2.60 ERA since the break, which is the best in the MLB. The Yankees won all three of their last series against the Blue Jays, Rays, and the Rockies.
Upcoming Series: @ MIN, @ BOS, vs ARI
3. Houston Astros | Overall: 64-37 | Last 10 Games: 7-3
This is yet another team with the potential to make a World Series run with a high powered offense and starting rotation. The Astros offense is 3rd in team batting average and 2nd in OPS in the MLB, while their rotation has the 4th best ERA. After dropping two games to the Angels, the Astros have won their last five games, which included bringing the over-achieving Texas Rangers back to reality by sweeping them. Shortstop Carlos Correa is set to come back from the IL sometime this week, possibly Friday. The Astros split the first series against the Rangers and split another with Angels but swept the Rangers over the weekend.
Upcoming Series: vs OAK, @ STL, @ CLE
4. Atlanta Braves | Overall: 60-41 | Last 10 Games: 6-4
The Braves offense has been very good throughout the 2019 season, with some saying that 1st baseman Freddie Freeman (.301 BA, 25 HR, 78 RBI) is a dark horse pick to win the NL MVP. Also, the sensational Ronald Acuna Jr. is on pace to join the 30-30 club; 30 home runs, 30 stolen bases. The questions about Atlanta remain in their rotation, which has posted a 5.00 ERA since the All-Star break. The Braves swept the Padres, lost a series to the Brewers, and split their most recent series with the Nationals.
Upcoming Series: vs KC, @ PHI, @ WSH
5. Oakland Athletics | Overall: 57-43 | Last 10 Games: 8-2
The Oakland A’s have been red hot since the All-Star break and have the 2nd highest team batting average and 5th best rotation ERA in that span. CF Ramon Laureano was named the American League Player of the Week, recording a stat line of .542/.577/1.042 with two home runs and six doubles in six games. During their four-game series against the Twins, star closer Liam Kendriks’ 21 scoreless inning streak was ended as the Twins scored two runs to walk off in the bottom of the 9th. Oakland swept both the White Sox and the Mariners but split the series with the Twins
Upcoming Series: @ HOU, vs TEX, VS MIL
6. Minnesota Twins | Overall: 60-38 | Last 10 Games: 4-6
Although the Twins are on top of the AL Central, it seems like that lead is slowly slipping away with the Cleveland Indians just 3 games back and climbing. The Twins are without CF Byron Buxton, an essential piece to both their offense and defense, because of his concussion which landed him on the IL. First baseman C.J. Cron has also been placed on the IL due to the same thumb injury which sidelined him earlier this month. A pivotal series against the AL-leading Yankees begins on Monday, July 22nd. The Twins won a series against the Indians, got swept by the Mets, and split with the Athletics.
Upcoming Series: vs NYY, @ CHW, @ MIA
7. Cleveland Indians | Overall: 57-41 | Last 10 Games: 7-3
The Cleveland Indians are one of the hottest teams in baseball right now because they are doing what every good team should be able to do; beating up on the bad teams. Cleveland has the 4th best team ERA and 8th best team batting average since the break. The Indians have four injured pitchers making rehab starts: Danny Salazar, Corey Kluber, Dan Otero, and Jefry Rodriguez. Jose Ramirez seems to be getting back to his old ways, as he is batting .341 with five doubles, eleven RBIs and three home runs since the break. The Indians lost a series against the Twins, swept the Tigers, and took two of three from the Royals.
Upcoming Series: @ TOR, @ KC, vs HOU
8. Chicago Cubs | Overall: 54-46 | Last 10 Games: 7-3
In a very tight NL Central race, the Chicago Cubs hold a two-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers with the St. Louis Cardinals following closely behind. As the Indians did, the Cubs started their 2nd half by beating up on teams under .500. During this stretch, Anthony Rizzo is batting .500 with four doubles, one home run, and ten RBIs. In their 25 games, they play 19 on the road, which is troublesome for a Cubs team that has the 5th worst away record in the league (18-27). The Cubs swept the Pirates and won a series against the Reds and Padres.
Upcoming Series: @ SF, @ MIL, @STL
9. Tampa Bay Rays | Overall: 57-45 | Last 10 Games: 4-6
The Rays have not had a great start to the second half of the season as they have lost five of their last six. This could be due to the fact that since the break, they are 25th in batting average and have the second-worst attendance in MLB; interesting for a team likely to be one of the wildcard teams. On the brighter side, Rays ace Charlie Morton has a top-five ERA in the league and their bullpen is the 3rd best in the league in terms of ERA. The Rays took the series against the Orioles, lost three of four to the Yankees, and lost their last series to the White Sox. The Rays have six of their next nine games against the Red Sox who are also fighting for a wild card spot.
Upcoming Series: vs BOS, @ TOR, @ BOS
10. Boston Red Sox | Overall: 54-46 | Last 10 Games: 5-5
The Red Sox have not exactly had a post-World Series slump, but they are not the same team that won it all last season. The Red Sox faced the lowly Blue Jay and Orioles but only managed to win four out of seven games against these two teams. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts has been playing great baseball, owning a .439 batting average with four home runs and ten RBIs since the break. Right Fielder Mookie Betts is batting .390 with two home runs and seven RBIs since the break, as the Red Sox have debatably the hardest part of their schedule right now. Their upcoming series consists of six games against the Rays and eight games against the Yankees. The Red Sox lost a series to the Dodgers, won a series against the Blue Jays, but lost their most recently played series to the Orioles.
Upcoming Series: @ TB, vs NYY, vs TB
11. Washington Nationals | Overall: 52-46 | Last 10 Games: 6-4
The Nationals hold the first spot in the NL wild-card standings and got through a nine-game stretch of road games with a modest 5-4 record, with seven of those games against the Phillies and Braves. With the deadline coming up, the always active Nationals are aiming to add one or two relievers to their horrendous bullpen. The Nationals checked in on Shane Greene of the Tigers, Sam Dyson of the Giants and Jake Diekman of the Royals but have not made any moves yet. Ace Max Scherzer is close to returning from the IL and threw a bullpen session, claiming that it felt good. Ryan Zimmerman was placed on the IL for the second time this season due to a foot injury. The Nationals road trip included a series win against the Phillies, a split with the Orioles, and a split with the division-leading Braves.
Upcoming Series: vs COL, vs LAD, vs ATL
12. St. Louis Cardinals | Overall: 52-47 | Last 10 Games: 8-2
The Cardinals have been red hot coming out of the break, as they have won eight of their last ten games. This team is following the simple rule that good teams follow: beat up on the teams below you. OF Tyler O’Neill has been on fire since the break, with a batting average of .378, four home runs and twelve RBIs. The Cardinals also have the 7th best rotation ERA since the break, standing at 3.54. During their hot stretch, the Cardinals won their opening series against the Diamondbacks, beat the Pirates, and took three of four from the Reds.
Upcoming Series: @ PIT, vs HOU, vs CHC
13. Milwaukee Brewers | Overall:53-49 | Last 10 Games: 6-4
The Brewers have not been the same team they were last year but are only two games behind the NL Central division-leading Cubs. Unfortunately, All-Star pitcher Brandon Woodruff is out for six weeks with an oblique injury. This ultimately led to the Brewers inquiring about Marcus Stroman of the Blue Jays. On the brighter side, Christian Yelich is batting .400 since the break with four home runs, nine RBIs, and four stolen bases. Yelich leads the league with 35 home runs and is seven stolen bases away from joining the 30-30 club this season. The Brewers lost a series to the Giants and won both of their series against the Braves and Diamondbacks.
Upcoming Series: vs CIN, vs CHC, @ OAK
14. Los Angeles Angels | Overall: 52-49 | Last 10 Games: 7-3
Following the loss of pitcher Tyler Skaggs, the Angels have been playing the best baseball they have played all season, especially with the emotionally-filled no-hitter. Mike Trout is having yet another Mike Trout season; batting .300 with 32 home runs and 79 RBIs. Pitcher Andrew Heaney has been placed on the IL with shoulder inflammation, which makes the release of Matt Harvey look like a bad idea. The Angels swept the Mariners, split with the Astros, and took another series against the Mariners.
Upcoming Series: @ LAD, vs BAL, vs DET
15. Philadelphia Phillies | Overall: 52-47 | Last 10 Games: 5-5
At the beginning of the season, the Phillies were picked by a handful of analysts to win the division. Fast forward to July and the Phillies trail the Braves by 7.5 games, due to a struggling starting rotation and an offense that struggles with RISP. Bryce Harper has been doing well in July with a slash line of .300/.394/.500 with two home runs and eleven RBIs. Unless they trade for a valuable starting pitcher, I do not see this team making the playoffs. This past week the Phillies lost a series to the Nationals, split with the Dodgers, and won a series against the Pirates.
Upcoming Series: @ DET, vs ATL, vs SF
16. San Francisco Giants | Overall: 51-50 | Last 10: 9-1
If you are wondering what team is the hottest team in baseball, you are looking right at them. People speculated on where ace Madison Bumgarner would end up but now it is unclear whether or not they are going to trade him. If the Giants are being real with themselves, they are no match for the Dodgers in a five-game series and selling right now would probably be their best bet. On the other hand, they have won 15 of their last 18 and in this span, they have the most hits, runs, RBIs, extra-base hits, and runs per game. On the pitching side, they have the third-best ERA this month and the second-most strikeouts in the NL. Should they sell? Should they not? Big decisions in San Francisco will be made this week. The Giants won a series against the Brewers, swept the Rockies, and took three of four against the Mets.
Upcoming Series: vs CHC, @ SD, @ PHI
17. Arizona Diamondbacks | Overall: 51-50 | Last 10 Games: 5-5
The Diamondbacks are in the same predicament as the Giants, except they are not riding an extreme hot streak; rather, they are riding an average streak. The Diamondbacks have a below-average farm system that they can add to by selling, and they have someone to sell at almost every position. Robbie Ray, Greg Holland, David Peralta, and Alex Avila are just some key players that could be moved, making this the team to watch at the deadline. The Diamondbacks do have an emerging star in Ketel Marte who is batting .322 with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs. This past week, the Diamondbacks lost a series to the Cardinals, swept the Rangers, and lost three of four to the Brewers.
Upcoming Series: vs BAL, @ MIA, @ NYY
18. Texas Rangers | Overall: 50-50 | Last 10 Games: 2-8
I think at this point, everyone could now agree that the Rangers were having an over-achieving season, but they have since been knocked back into reality. The Rangers have lost eight games in a row and their postseason dreams seem to be gone as they stand at .500. Since the break, the Rangers own a second-to-worst team ERA at 7.36 and have the lowest team batting average in the league. There is always next season! The Rangers split a series with the Astros, got swept by the Diamondbacks and Astros.
Upcoming Series: @ SEA, @ OAK, vs SEA
19. New York Mets | Overall: 45-54 | Last 10 Games: 5-5
The Mets would be one of the top teams in the NL Wild Card race if they did not blow 30% of the games their bullpen blew. Or maybe if June did not exist at all. This team seems to be on the verge of selling with the upcoming deadline but is asking for a good amount of return for SP Noah Syndergaard. The Mets have the second-best starting rotation ERA since the break, have the NL ROTY in Pete Alonso, and the possible batting title winner in Jeff McNeil, yet sit nine games under .500. The bullpen has blown a league-leading 21 saves this year, but at least they lead the league in something. The Mets won a series against the Marlins, swept the Twins, and lost three of four to the Giants.
Upcoming Series: vs SD, vs PIT, @ CHW
20. Cincinnati Reds | Overall: 45-53 | Last 10 Games: 4-6
With starting pitcher Tyler Mahle being sent to the IL, Lucas Sims will get his second start on Wednesday. Sims was acquired through a trade with the Braves last year and owns a 3.72 ERA in one start. The 25-year-old has not given up a run in 2 innings of work coming out of the bullpen. Since the break, the Reds have the highest team batting average in the league and have the 5th best team ERA this season. Ace Luis Castillo owns a 2.36 ERA, the 3rd lowest in the MLB. The Reds lost a series against the Rockies and Cubs and lost three out of four to Cardinals.
Upcoming Series: @ MIL, vs COL, vs PIT
21. Colorado Rockies | Overall: 47-52 | Last 10 Games: 3-7
The Rockies have had an abysmal start to the second half of the season, losing seven of their last ten games. This is due to the worst team ERA in the league since the break, which currently stands at an astonishing 8.80. The Rockies have also struggled with injuries throughout the season with Charlie Blackmon, David Dahl, Trevor Story, and Nolan Arenado all having injuries at one point. Rumors about the Rockies trading Wade Davis and Daniel Murphy have been talked about, but it seems unlikely. Murphy is batting .361 with two home runs and five RBIs since the break. The Rockies won a series against the Reds, got swept by the Giants, and lost two of three to the Yankees.
Upcoming Series: @ WSH, @ CIN, vs LAD
22. San Diego Padres | Overall: 47-52 | Last 10 Games: 3-7
Although this season has not been an amazing one for the Padres, their future looks very bright moving forward. Rookie sensation Fernando Tatis Jr. is one of the most electrifying young players in the league right now. Chris Paddack is also having a promising start to his MLB career, with a 2.70 ERA. The Padres farm system is ranked as the best in the league according to Bleacher Report. The Padres got swept by the Braves and lost a series to the Marlins and Cubs.
Upcoming Series: @ NYM, vs SF, vs BAL
23. Pittsburgh Pirates | Overall: 46-53 | Last 10 Games: 2-8
The Pirates have had an atrocious start to the second half of the season and it could be due to mediocre play by the offense. Josh Bell, who was on an absolute tear, is batting just .156 with just five hits in 32 at-bats. Chris Archer seems to be getting back to his old self and has not given up more than three runs in his last five starts. The Pirates got swept by the Cubs, lost a series to the Cardinals and the Phillies.
Upcoming Series: vs STL, @ NYM, @ CIN
24. Chicago White Sox | Overall: 45-52 | Last 10 Games: 45-52
The White Sox have a good young team moving forward, led by 3rd baseman Yoan Moncada. This team, which is in the middle of a rebuild, does not seem to be sellers at the July 31st deadline. The starting pitching has been the downfall of the White Sox, which ranks 25th in the league with team ERA at 5.04. If you take Lucas Giolito out of the rotation, that makes the team ERA 6.19. It is not easy to win games with numbers like that. The White Sox got swept by both the A’s and the Royals to start the second half but won a series against the Rays.
Upcoming Series: vs MIA, vs MIN, vs NYM
25. Kansas City Royals | 37-64 | Last 10 Games: 7-3
The Royals are also in the middle of a rebuild but have had some bright spots this season, especially since the break. RF Jorge Soler is hitting .364 with four home runs and eleven RBIs and 2nd baseman Whit Merrifield is batting .333 with one home run and seven RBIs. The Royals are tied with the Reds for the highest batting average in the league since the break. The Royals won a series against the Tigers, swept the White Sox, but lost two of three to the Indians.
Upcoming Series: @ ATL, vs CLE, vs TOR
26. Toronto Blue Jays | Overall: 38-64 | Overall 10 Games: 4-6
The Blue Jays play in the toughest division in baseball at the moment and are in the beginning of a rebuild. Trade rumors surround pitcher Marcus Stroman and speculation that he will be traded is increasing on a daily basis. He will likely be traded as the team builds around young stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who put on an absolute show in the Homerun Derby. The market for Stroman is strong so the Blue Jays should expect a chunk of prospects in return. The Blue Jays lost a series against the Yankees and Red Sox but won their most recent series against the Tigers.
Upcoming Series: vs CLE, vs TB, @ KC
27. Seattle Mariners | Overall: 41-62 | Last 10 Games: 2-8
The Mariners have continued to have awful season by starting the second half losing eight of ten games. Following the break, the Mariners have the 3rd worst team ERA in the league, sitting at 7.22. This team also has the 6th worst team batting average in this period as well. The Mariners did pick up some great prospects thanks to the Edwin Diaz trade, but this season has been nothing but disappointing. They started the second half by getting swept by the Angels and A’s and followed that up with a series loss to the Angels again.
Upcoming Series: vs TEX, vs DET, @ TEX
28. Miami Marlins | Overall: 36-62 | Last 10 Games: 3-7
It is no secret that the Marlins are in the middle of a rebuild after selling their team over the past two seasons. Miami is 28th in team batting average and 25th in team ERA, standing at .222 and 5.65 respectively. The Marlins are trying to build their farm system up through the trades they have made and through the draft, but it seems a few more years of mediocrity will be the consequence. The Marlins lost a series to the Mets, won a series against the Padres and got swept by the Dodgers.
Upcoming Series: @ CHW. vs ARI, vs MIN
29. Baltimore Orioles | Overall: 31-68 | Last 10 Games: 4-6
You can debate if it is the Orioles or the Tigers that are the worst team in baseball, but I choose the latter. The general manager of the Orioles, Mike Elias, claimed that no players on the Orioles are safe from being traded. The contending teams are always looking to add bullpen pieces, so do not be surprised is RHP Mychal Givens is traded before the deadline. The Orioles lost three of four to the Rays, split with the Nationals, and won a series against the Red Sox.
Upcoming Series: @ ARI, @ LAA, @ SD
30. Detroit Tigers | Overall 30-65 | Last 10 Games: 2-8
The Orioles always get the publicity for being the worst team in baseball, but I am here to tell you that is not true, the Detroit Tigers are the worst team in the league. The Tigers are 27th in the league in team ERA, 29th in the league in team batting average, and 29th in the league in home runs. Pitcher Matthew Boyd and closer Shane Greene are drawing interest from several teams and outfielder Nicholas Castellanos is also gaining interest from two other teams. The Tigers lost two of three to the Royals, got swept by the Indians, and lost a series to the Blue Jays.
Upcoming Series: vs PHI, @ SEA, @ LAA
