It is perhaps exhausting to consider, however we’re almost two months into the common season.
Through a few third of the season, many groups and gamers have carried out just about how everybody anticipated previous to the yr (we’re taking a look at you, Braves and Dodgers). Others, nonetheless, have carried out past even the wildest of optimistic expectations (say hello to the Rangers, Orioles and Rays).
In what’s shaping as much as be an thrilling week, a lot of baseball’s finest and sudden prime groups will match up. Here are the 5 collection to look at through the week of May 22.
Blue Jays (25-22) at Rays (34-14)
4 video games (Monday-Thursday)
Head-to-head: After beginning this season 13-0, the Rays misplaced each their first sport and first collection in opposition to the Blue Jays in Toronto final month. The two groups had an evenly matched collection, with the Rays narrowly outscoring the Blue Jays 13-12 within the three-game set. This mirrored final season’s tight matchups when the Rays went 10-9 and outscored the Blue Jays 82-73. The Rays enter this collection with one of the best file within the Majors.
Storyline: Can the Jays get their offense going? For an offense that completed prime 5 in runs (775), wRC+ (117) and WAR (31.2) in 2022, their middle-of-the-pack placement in ’23 is definitely shocking. It’s been a feast-or-famine efficiency for the Jays’ offense. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Matt Chapman and Kevin Kiermaier all have a wRC+ between 135 and 147. Outside of Brandon Belt (113 wRC+), the remaining seven Jays’ hitters with 50 or extra plate appearances have a wRC+ south of 100.
Watch out for: Josh Lowe. One of many Rays who’ve sparked a enormous offensive turnaround, Lowe has taken off as among the finest hitters within the Majors in 2023. His 184 wRC+ trails solely teammate Yandy Díaz‘s 191 wRC+ amongst MLB hitters with no less than 100 plate appearances. Lowe has reduce his strikeout price by greater than 10% and is slugging a whopping .652, which is behind solely Jake Burger and simply forward of Aaron Judge.
Dodgers (29-19) at Braves (29-17)
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head-to-head: Two of baseball’s finest groups of the season and final half-decade will match up in a collection that has predominantly favored the Dodgers lately. It’s been a full decade (2013) because the Braves final took a regular-season collection from the Dodgers. Even the playoff matchups have leaned Dodgers, with Los Angeles profitable two of the three postseason matchups in opposition to Atlanta. For the Dodgers, this week represents a troublesome job as they will face each the Braves and the Rays in consecutive collection.
Storyline: Is this one more preview of a possible NLCS? Both groups have gotten very acquainted with one another within the playoffs lately. The Dodgers took each the 2018 NLDS and ’20 NLCS from the Braves, the latter season which resulted in LA’s first World Series title since ’88. The Braves, in the meantime, bought their vengeance within the ’21 NLCS on their solution to their first World Series trophy since ’95. As it at the moment stands, each groups have one of the best information within the National League and appear to be clear favorites to win their respective divisions.
Watch out for: Ronald Acuña Jr.. The 25-year-old has ascended to superstardom this yr and is on tempo for some of the spectacular seasons we have ever seen. Acuña Jr. is hitting .344/.431/.600, has slugged 11 house runs and swiped 18 stolen bases. Acuña Jr. is on a 162-game tempo (he is performed in each sport for the Braves) for 38 house runs and 63 stolen bases. No participant has ever hit 40 house runs and stolen 60, and even 50, bases in the identical season.
Astros (27-19) at Brewers (25-21)
3 video games (Monday-Wednesday)
Head-to-head: The two golf equipment head into the collection with comparable information. The Brewers maintain the highest spot within the NL Central whereas the Astros have stormed again from a mediocre begin to be simply two video games again of the Rangers for first place within the AL West. This is the primary regular-season matchup between the 2 groups since they break up their four-game set in 2019.
Storyline: Can both of those groups pull forward of their divisions? The NL Central is up for grabs for the Brewers, who, together with the Pirates, are the one two groups above .500 within the division. The Astros need to as soon as once more take management of an AL West division that they’ve owned for a decade. Houston has gone 9-1 in its final 10 video games and is knocking on the door of taking possession of first place.
Rangers (29-17) at Orioles (31-16)
3 video games (Friday-Sunday)
Head-to-head: Both groups enter the collection as two of the largest surprises of the 2023 season. The Rangers narrowly maintain a lead within the AL West over Houston whereas the Orioles maintain the highest Wild Card spot within the American League. The O’s took two of three video games in opposition to the Rangers in Arlington earlier this yr.
Storyline: Are each of those groups legit? After closely investing of their membership the 2 earlier offseasons, the Rangers’ strikes have paid dividends. The Rangers’ offense leads the Majors with 297 runs scored whereas their beginning pitchers are top-5 in each ERA (3.38) and WAR (5.0). The O’s, in the meantime, have a powerful group of place gamers and the league’s most formidable bullpen (first in strikeout price and WAR). It stays to be seen if both staff can maintain this up however they’ve put themselves in a fantastic playoff place with sturdy begins.
Watch out for: Both staff’s catchers. Adley Rutschman is a full-blown famous person who has been a top-10 place participant by WAR (6.7) since debuting in May ’22. Rutschman is undeniably the face of the O’s franchise who’s each a fantastic hitter and defender and a frontrunner for the burgeoning Baltimore squad. Jonah Heim has mainly matched Rutschman this yr, together with his 1.8 WAR trailing solely Sean Murphy amongst catchers. Heim owns a 133 wRC+ in 2023 and has had one of many largest enhancements of any hitter.
Padres (21-26) at Yankees (29-20)
3 video games (Friday-Sunday)
Head-to-head: The Padres have scuffled this yr, particularly the previous couple of weeks, and enter the collection making an attempt to proper the ship. The Yankees, regardless of a barrage of accidents, have greater than held their very own and occupy the second AL Wild Card spot. This represents the primary matchup between these two groups because the Yankees took two of three video games at Yankee Stadium in 2019.
Storyline: Can the Padres get going? 2023 was alleged to be a constructing block upon a ’22 season through which the Padres made all of it the best way to Game 5 of the NLCS. What was alleged to be some of the thrilling and proficient groups in baseball has had a lackluster efficiency and ranks close to the center of the pack in lots of hitting and pitching classes. With the kind of firepower their staff possesses, it feels prefer it’s solely a matter of time earlier than they begin enjoying higher.
Watch out for: Aaron Judge. After blasting an AL-record 62 house runs in 2022, Judge is choosing up proper the place he left off. While his wRC+ has “declined” from 207 in ’22 to 178 this yr, his underlying numbers counsel that he is largely been the identical hitter. His .472 anticipated wOBA — primarily based on the standard of contact (exit velo / launch angle), Okay’s + BB’s — is definitely larger than his .463 xwOBA from his ’22 season.
Content Source: www.mlb.com