MLB: Top 10 Teams Entering Week 18
With the trade deadline approaching next week, teams have already or are trying to continue to make deals in order to bolster their roster. It's hard to believe next week will already be August and it will only be a little over two months away until postseason baseball.
The American League playoff picture is clear as day right now, but the National League playoff picture is crazy. Who are the top 10 teams entering week 19?
10. Arizona Diamondbacks: The Arizona Diamondbacks are currently in the second wild-card spot in the National League with a 56-47 record. They are just 0.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the National League West. Arizona took two-out-of-three on the road against the Chicago Cubs, but they lost two-out-of-three at home against the Colorado Rockies to start the second half of the season.
The Diamondbacks continue to make smart plays and other players are starting to pick it up now. Paul Goldschmidt has a .277 batting average with 22 home runs and 54 RBIs, along with three stolen bases. His on-base percentage is .383.
Last week's ranking: not ranked.
9. Oakland Athletics: The Athletics continue to be a pesky ball club and they are just 1.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the second wild-card spot in the American League. They acquired closer Jeurys Familia in a trade on Saturday with the New York Mets for two prospects.
Oakland's record is 59-43. They are 7.5 games behind the Houston Astros for first place in the AL West. The A's took two-out-of-three games at home this past weekend against the San Francisco Giants. Oakland has taken two games on the road so far against the Texas Rangers and there is still two more to play. The Oakland Athletics have a big weekend series on the road against the Colorado Rockies.
Last week's ranking: 8.
8. Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies took two-out-of-three against the Los Angeles Dodgers, including a walk-off three-run homer by Trevor Ploufee off of Enquire Hernandez in the 16th inning on Tuesday Night. It was strange that a Dodgers position player pitched the 16th inning, but this happened because there was a game that would be played in the early afternoon on Wednesday. Philadelphia also won that game 7-3. Carlos Santana hit a base-clearing triple in that game.
Jake Arrieta (8-6, 3.45 ERA) also pitched six strong innings and struck out six batters. Santana has a .211 batting average with 15 home runs and 57 RBIs, along with one stolen base. The Philadelphia Phillies lead the NL East with a 57-44 record and they are 1.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Braves for first place.
Last week's ranking: 7.
7. Milwaukee Brewers: The Brew Crew train is starting to fall off. They are just 3-7 in their last 10 games. Milwaukee lost a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at home to start the second half of the year. The Brewers salvaged themselves with a series win at home against the Washington Nationals.
Milwaukee is 2.5 games back of the Chicago Cubs for first place in the NL Central. The Brewers' record is 58-46. They are currently the first wild-card team in the National League. Milwaukee is one of the best teams in baseball when it is firing on all cylinders.
Last week's ranking: 6.
6. Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers won the Manny Machado sweepstakes and they traded away five prospects to the Baltimore Orioles to acquire him. Machado has been a good acquisition for them so far. He has moved back to third base at the moment because of Justin Turner being on the disabled list. Once Turner comes back, Machado will move back to shortstop.
In his first six games with the Dodgers, he has a .259 batting average with one RBI and one stolen base. His on-base percentage is .354. Los Angeles leads the NL West by 0.5 games over the Arizona Diamondbacks, with a 56-46 record. The Dodgers lost two-out-of-three to the Phillies, including a walk-off homer given up by position player Enrique Hernandez in the 16th inning on Tuesday Night.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have two crucial four-game series coming up. One is against the Atlanta Braves on the road and one is against the Milwaukee Brewers at home, and Los Angeles just took two-out-of-three on the road against them to start the second half of the season.
Last week's ranking: 9.
5. Seattle Mariners: The Mariners can feel the A's breathing down their necks and Seattle have only a 1.5-game lead over Oakland for the second wild-card spot in the American League. Robinson Cano will be back for the Mariners in a couple of weeks following his 80-game suspension. It will be interesting to see how they plug him into the lineup. If the Mariners aren't careful, they could continue their postseason drought.
The Seattle Mariners haven't been to the playoffs since 2001. They have one of the best lineups in baseball and need to make a move at the trade deadline. The Mariners have a 61-41 record so far this season. They are 5.5 games behind the Houston Astros for first in the AL West. Seattle play a crucial three-game set at home against Houston starting Monday Night.
Last week's ranking: 4.
4. New York Yankees: The Yankees have lost three-out-of-five to start the second half of the season. New York are lucky the Tampa Bay Rays aren't a playoff team though. The Yankees seem to struggle against them. They are now 5.5 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East with a 64-36 record.
The Yankees' Sunday Night game against the Mets was postponed because of rain and it will be made up on Monday, August 13. Catcher Gary Sanchez is on the disabled list again. He was accused of being lazy in Monday's 7-6 loss against Tampa Bay. The Yankees' next six games are against the Kansas City Royals and the Baltimore Orioles. They are the two worst teams in baseball and if they can't go 5-1 or 6-0, that's a problem.
New York acquired reliever Zach Britton at the trade deadline from the Baltimore Orioles and traded away three pitching prospects, including right-handed pitcher Dillon Tate.
Last week's ranking: 3.
3. Chicago Cubs: The Cubs are once again hitting their stride. Even though they are 3-4 in their seven games to start the second half of the season, it just feels like they are because no one else seems to be playing great in the National League and they are primed to make another run.
Chicago have one more key game at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks tomorrow afternoon before hitting the road for five games (three against the St. Louis Cardinals and two against the Pittsburgh Pirates). The Cubs lead the NL Central by 2.5 games over the Milwaukee Brewers with a 59-42 record.
Last week's ranking: 5.
2. Houston Astros: The Astros continued to be the most balanced team in baseball and they have given up one run or less twice already in the second half of the season. That is impressive and they are going to need that in order to repeat as World Series Champions.
Houston have scored at least three runs or more in all four games to start the second half of the season. They are 3-1 in that stretch. Houston will conclude a two-game set on the road tonight against the Colorado Rockies before a three-game homestand against the Texas Rangers this weekend and then three games against the Seattle Mariners early next week on the road.
The Houston Astros' record is 67-36 and they are 5.5 games up on the Seattle Mariners and 7.5 games up on the Oakland Athletics. George Springer and Alex Bregman continue to rake for the Astros. Springer's batting average is .252 with 17 home runs and 54 RBIs, along with six stolen bases. His on-base percentage is .339. Bregman's batting average is .284 with 21 home runs and 68 RBIs, along with eight stolen bases. His on-base percentage is .388.
Last week's ranking: 2.
1. Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox have the best record in baseball at 71-32. They have a 5.5-game lead on the New York Yankees in the American League East. Boston will conclude a three-game set on the road on Wednesday Night against the Baltimore Orioles and it will be played as long as it isn't rained out.
The Red Sox will head home for a six-game homestand starting on Thursday Night against the Minnesota Twins. Boston acquired right-handed pitcher Nathan Eovaldi from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade. Eovaldi had a 3-4 record with a 4.26 ERA in Tampa Bay. He pitched in 57 innings and gave up 48 hits and 27 runs.
Eovaldi has only walked eight batters and has struck out 53. Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez continue to be the engines in the Red Sox's lineup. Betts's batting average is .351 with 24 home runs and 51 RBIs, along with 18 stolen bases. His on-base percentage is .437. Martinez's batting average is .323 with 31 home runs and 85 RBIs, along with three stolen bases. His on-base percentage is .387.
Last week's ranking: 1.