Right now, the 2019 MLB season is beginning to take shape, and we are really starting to sift out the contenders from the failures. The season has seen many players blossom, and many teams become contenders for the first time in years. We will take an in-depth look at all of the divisions, and we will start with the AL East.
The New York Yankees have embarked on the Chase for 28, and so far things have gone well. They hold the best record in the MLB, and they have a ton of talent. Leadoff hitter DJ Lemahieu was the starting second baseman in the All Star Game, he has the best batting average in the AL, and he is on pace for 22 homers and 113 RBI. Gio Urshela almost always hits in the bottom third of the lineup. He is hitting .300, and he has only struck out 45 times in 79 games. The talent is there from top to bottom. However, the Boston Red Sox have similar talent, and are defending champs. Something has gone wrong. Rafael Devers is having a breakout year, Michael Chavis is enjoying a great rookie campaign, and Xander Bogaerts continues to play like an All Star. But even with all of this, Boston’s longtime archenemies in the Bronx have had the upper hand.
No matter how much of a disappointment the Red Sox are, at least they aren’t the Orioles. Baltimore’s team ERA is 5.62! And their combined batting average is .241! That is absolutely pathetic. If nothing else, they are on pace to win 50 games, an improvement after only winning 47 games last year. I have no clue how they can be a playoff team in 2016 and win 47 games two years later. Also, Chris Davis had his ridiculous 54 at bat hitless streak. This is the same guy who hit .262 with 47 dingers in 2015. Sitting only 5.5 games above the O’s are the Blue Jays. After lighting it up in the Home Run Derby, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has hit .214 with no extra base hits after the break. Only Eric Sogard is batting over .300, and nobody is on pace for over 30 home runs. As for pitching, they have a combined ERA of 4.89. Toronto is nowhere near being a contender right now. The Rays, on the other hand, are a definite contender, and they are only one game out of the wild card game. They have the second best ERA in baseball, at 3.45, but they seriously need more offense. Austin Meadows is batting .289, which leads the team, and just like Baltimore and Toronto, they don’t have anybody on pace for 30 homers. Even with their lack of hitting, they are still impressive. They have one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, and they are in the playoff picture. Plus, they are the innovators who created the opener, something that is now a common pitching strategy across the MLB. Credit is due, even if they miss the postseason.
The AL East indisputably belongs to the Yankees, but they can definitely send a team to the wild card game. Boston and Tampa Bay both have a legitimate chance at playing in October. The Red Sox definitely have the talent to reach the playoffs, but they haven’t been playing at their best. The Rays don’t have any superstars, which is going to make things tricky down the stretch. The Blue Jays and Orioles are both hopeless, and they will have to wait a couple of years before becoming relevant again. The Yankees are a World Series contender, and they are almost a lock to be division champions. This division has sent four out of its five teams to the playoffs in the past three years. The team that missed out was the Rays, but this could be the year where they make it back in. Overall, the AL East is a very exciting division.
Very good Fan Mouth!