We’ve solely reached the midway level of the baseball season, however it already seems like a lot greater than that, as if we’ve crammed a complete season’s price of motion and pleasure into the primary 81 video games, earlier than we even reached the Fourth of July. Because of every part that’s occurred and due to the best way the rule adjustments have labored, it seems like this could be one of the best first half we’ve ever seen.
Here are simply a few of the issues which have occurred thus far — and belief me, that is the brief record — lower than two weeks away from the All-Star Game in Seattle:
1. Shohei Ohtani continues to make historical past
He continues to be a once-in-a-hundred-years expertise. He leads baseball in dwelling runs with 29 and has an OPS of 1.058 with 66 RBIs. Oh, and as a beginning pitcher? He has a 7-3 report and has struck out 127 batters in 95 1/3 innings. He isn’t only a drive of nature. He’s a magnum drive, because the Angels have lastly turn out to be a reliable playoff contender, for him and for his wingman Mike Trout, who has 17 dwelling runs this season and appears to be getting again on observe after coping with accidents the previous few years.
2. Ronald Acuña Jr. is chasing 40/40
Acuña is again to being absolutely wholesome once more, which implies he is absolutely again to reminding us why he was as a lot the Next Big Thing as anybody when he hit the large leagues in 2018, the identical season Ohtani confirmed up in Anaheim. The Braves speedster has 19 dwelling runs, 51 RBIs and a .331 batting common by means of 80 video games. He is one of the best participant on what seems like one of the best crew, no less than thus far: He has stolen 36 bases, scored 71 runs and has an on-base share of .408.
(While you had been studying the earlier paragraph, I’m fairly positive Acuña simply stole second.)
3. Meanwhile, Luis Arraez is chasing .400
The Marlins second baseman remains to be flirting, large time, with .400 on the midway level of the season. He got here out of the Marlins’ sweep in Boston on Thursday at .392. Wouldn’t it’s one thing if he hit sufficient between now and the All-Star Game to be at .400, or higher, when he exhibits up in Seattle? Oh, and the Marlins are exceeding everybody’s expectations, and they’d be within the playoffs if the season began immediately.
4. Elly De La Cruz is making us say “wow”
De La Cruz, the No. 2 prospect in baseball, is so gifted and a lot a streak of sunshine, that it’s typically straightforward to neglect that he’s solely performed 20 video games within the large leagues. But he’s the new child on what has been such a scorching Reds crew — one other shock membership — and an enormous one. De La Cruz has already hit for the cycle, and he’s batting .301 with three homers and 11 RBIs. He is getting loads of assist in Cincinnati, a fantastic baseball metropolis coming again to life.
6. The Rays and Orioles are establishing a fantastic division race
These two are nonetheless 1-2 within the American League East. Coming into the season, who noticed these two golf equipment locked in a scorching divisional race? Only the Braves are on a roll much like the Rays, who one way or the other proceed to do all these Tampa Bay issues with a modest payroll. But as we head into the vacation weekend, the Orioles are proper there with them, simply 5 1/2 video games behind.
7. The Rangers are the brand new crew in Texas
If you had the Rangers being the finest crew within the Lone Star State coming into the season — and 5 video games forward of the Astros at this level within the season — you’re smarter than the remainder of us. Not solely are the Rangers, who can actually mash, taking part in this manner for the nice Bruce Bochy, they’re doing it with out Jacob deGrom, who’s out for the season after Tommy John surgical procedure.
The Reds are again. The Marlins are again. The Angels are all in for Trout, who’s solely performed three postseason video games in his profession. The Giants, who received 107 video games in 2021, are on their means again. And did I point out that the video games are sooner, together with what seems like the entire sport?
Content Source: www.mlb.com