“However can we truly win the World Sequence this yr?”
No sentence encapsulates being a Crimson Sox fan recently greater than this straightforward query. And I’m certain the identical is true of a dozen, possibly two dozen different fan bases. Within the age of Moneyball and quadrillion-dollar payrolls, questioning whether or not your staff is competing or freeloading is simply a part of being a baseball fan.
Fortunately, I’m right here to reply the query for everybody… in a technique or one other. In case your favourite staff makes this listing, congratulations! Please benefit from the small evaluation I’ve to supply about them. In case your staff is not on the listing, properly… please benefit from the peace of thoughts realizing you could get excited for soccer season with out worrying about conflicting schedules!
Tier 5: They might do it… however they might additionally win zero postseason video games and we wouldn’t be shocked
Greatest power: One of many best offensive gamers within the historical past of baseball, Aaron Choose
Greatest weak spot: Bullpen, and karma from being the Yankees
(I can’t be biased, I can’t be biased, I can’t be bia—) Okay, so if I used to be actually being biased I might have simply left them off the listing. However my mortal enemies the Bronx Bombers can’t be counted out simply but, even when the vibes in the previous few months have been going via the ground.
The Yankees loaded up on the deadline, however obtained off on the unsuitable foot with a Choose harm and a few less-than-stellar contributions from their new additions. However, this lineup and rotation has the expertise to get the Yankees again to the postseason and thru just a few rounds, particularly within the American league: a spot that scares no one.
Greatest power: Title-brand expertise
Greatest weak spot: Truly profitable baseball video games persistently
“We don’t have a superb likelihood on the World Sequence” stated my Mets-fan buddy, who requested to be recognized as an nameless supply near the Mets entrance workplace (he’s not). The truth is, I’m simply going to let him write this part since, throughout this newest slide, Mets followers are those you need to discuss to, not me:
“This season is shaping as much as be as heartbreaking as 2023, however at the very least that staff had the courtesy to kill our hopes in April. On paper, we’re a high 3 staff within the league. The lineup is star-studded and full, the bullpen is deep, and we don’t have a horrible rotation. And there’s a terrific farm system beneath all of it.”
“Sadly, each facet of the staff is wracked with issues. The lineup is inconsistent, with solely Pete Alonso and Juan Soto hitting very properly. Even Soto hasn’t lived as much as expectations. Though I believe we’re being unfair to his still-ludicrous manufacturing. The again finish of the lineup, which was a priority early within the yr, truly hasn’t been all that unhealthy. McNeil, Marte, Baty—and even Alvarez—have been alright, and greater than sufficient for 789 hitters. However the stars aren’t shining, and we’re too late within the season to chalk it as much as changes or gradual begins”
He went on to ship one other few hundred phrases about how the rotation isn’t fairly what it must be, and the way profitable requires consistency… however you get the gist. I’ll depart you along with his last phrases, emblematic of Mets and Crimson Sox followers for years — possibly it’s why we’re associates:
“However hey, there’s all the time subsequent yr!”
Greatest power: Beginning pitching, top-end relievers
Greatest weak spot: Numbers 5-9 of the lineup
The lone staff on this listing that I’m undoubtedly certified to touch upon, this Crimson Sox staff has been solidly the most effective within the final 4 seasons regardless of a surprising Rafael Devers commerce that appears to have turned issues round for the Crimson Sox and completely turned issues upside and thrown them out a window for the San Francisco Giants. In any case, profitable in Boston comes down to at least one factor, and one factor solely: beginning pitching.
Garrett Crochet has been a ten out of 10 commerce for the Crimson Sox to date, locked up with an extension and poised to headline this rotation for over half a decade. He’s a legit Cy Younger contender, and stands to be yearly going ahead. The remainder of the rotation has been clean as properly, with shockingly-good Bryan Bello and Lucas Giolito seasons unfolding and the Dustin Might-Walker Beuhler Axis of No matter managing to remain above water. However as quickly as a starter will get knocked round, issues get ugly.
The Sox lack something resembling depth of their bullpen, which has been statistically fairly good this yr. They in all probability have the most effective nearer in baseball in Aroldis Chapman and a premier set-up man in Garrett Whitlock. However everybody else has left so much to be desired just lately, and if the starter will get shelled, the bats haven’t precisely made up for it.
The Crimson Sox offense has been, for mainly a month, Roman Anthony and Alex Bregman with occasional Trevor Story interludes; a lot in order that the 2 heroes are glued subsequent to one another within the order. However no one forward of them or behind them can get on, so it places quite a lot of stress on the starter to go lengthy. Perhaps that can work within the postseason, however possibly not.
Tier 4: Good groups with huge questions
Greatest power: Pedigree, and addition of Carlos Correa without spending a dime
Greatest weak spot: Harm to nearer Josh Hader
The Astros haven’t fairly felt proper this yr. They nonetheless have a lot of good gamers and occupied the most effective report within the American League for a sizzling minute, however they only aren’t the beast they was. However so long as Jose Altuve is standing upright, everybody will bear in mind how good this staff is once they’re at their finest.
However the harm to Hader, which dropped him on the IL final week, can have Houston followers quaking. Their bullpen was hardly one thing particular earlier than, and this smokes a unit that was already in dire straits. No nearer means no ensures, no ensures means profitable playoff rounds one after one other can be arduous as hell, even whether it is doable.
Greatest power: Stacked lineup with loopy energy
Greatest weak spot: Historical past
The Mariners snagged Eugenio Suarez on the deadline and created a lineup with a lot slug it might as properly be a 12 gauge shotgun. Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Randy Arozerena had been already kicking round, and Josh Naylor and Suarez confirmed as much as ship issues to the stratosphere. Even when the stats aren’t but working away from everybody else, there may be not a pitcher on the planet that wishes to see this lineup twice.
The Mariners’ largest downside is that they’re absolutely-unequivocally the worst and most pathetic baseball franchise in historical past and it isn’t even shut. They’ve had manner higher groups than this and completed completely nothing, reaching a stage of historic tragedy that I even have to think about it right here. If, for no different purpose, than to not really feel silly if and when this all occurs to them once more.
Tier 3: Excellent groups who’re going to have to beat one thing
Greatest power: Excessive-quality all through the lineup
Greatest weak spot: Tragic commerce deadline
I’ve a buddy who’s a giant Cubs fan and a reputable Division 1 MLB ball-knower, and his social media after the commerce deadline felt like watching somebody attempt to burn down a home they had been in via a cellphone display screen. Cubs followers aren’t precisely thrilled with how their entrance workplace has behaved put up Theo Epstein, and it’s arduous to disagree when Kyle Tucker is getting benched earlier than he makes $500 million this winter as a free agent.
However even with Tucker slumping all the way in which to a different staff, this Cubs staff is nasty, with elite gamers all around the map who all hit for common and play with severe coordination and move. My restricted viewing of the Cubs this yr in opposition to the Crimson Sox felt like watching the single-best oiled machine within the league, so there’s nonetheless so much to love right here.
Greatest power: Crew is getting wholesome on the proper time
Greatest weak spot: Farm system?
I imply, the Padres produce other weaknesses, however it’s fairly wonderful how gutted their prospect base is post-deadline. They’ve a very nice staff that would beat anybody, however certainly somebody will run out of cash ultimately, proper? Why even have minor league associates at this level?
In all seriousness, the Padres regarded fairly rattling nice passing the Dodgers within the NL West. However then they obtained swept by stated Dodgers, so now I’m undecided how severely to take them in a convention that’s getting scorched by a staff from Milwaukee. They’re good, like they’ve been yearly for some time. Will they put it collectively earlier than all their gamers flip 40, are making $200 million a yr and are strengthened by Single A pitchers batting second? Who is aware of.
Greatest power: The only finest pitcher within the postseason
Greatest weak spot: Inconsistency on the high
The Tigers had been sick, after which they had been sickly. However now, they is perhaps sick once more, I’m simply not fairly certain. Tarik Skubal continues to be mainly unhittable, although their midseason floundering made the American League seem like free actual property for a bunch of then-intimidated contenders.
They aren’t the juggernaut they might have been, however they’re nonetheless superb in a weak convention. And there’s a staff above them that has been a lot better as of late.
Tier 2: Elite groups that aren’t the Milwaukee Brewers
Greatest power: Loopy good gamers in all places
Greatest weak spot: Dangerous harm at a foul time
Earlier than this Zack Wheeler blood clot scenario, I had good individuals in my life choosing the Phillies to win all of it and doing so confidently. However now I don’t know what to assume, contemplating dropping your ace looks like dropping your left arm in a convention this aggressive.
Besides… he’s not even their ace proper now. Christopher Sanchez has been unironically higher for the entire season, and they’re teeming with choices out of the bullpen. Kyle Schwarber is raking. Bryce Harper is simply too, and the Phillies have loads of warmth to again up the lack of Wheeler. It’s not nice, however it’s hopefully not everlasting both.
Greatest power: They’re the Dodgers
Greatest weak spot: They’re not final yr’s Dodgers
A superteam with an excellent hangover, the Dodgers aren’t unhealthy by any metric. However they’re simply objectively worse than they had been final yr, and you’ll inform they understand it. They aren’t having as a lot enjoyable, they aren’t getting as a lot consideration, and final years destiny accompli has became this yr’s slog via the mud to a less-than-certain conclusion.
This occurs to groups like this; it occurred to my Boston Celtics final season. The whole lot is just a bit bit worse the second time, every little thing simply doesn’t work as properly or really feel as recent. The Dodgers may win the world collection anyway as a result of their bats are nonetheless swung by tremendous troopers and their pitching is getting wholesome. Nevertheless it undoubtedly received’t be as enjoyable.
Greatest power: Stranglehold on the division
Greatest weak spot: Harm uncertainty
The Blue Jays had been written off by many firstly of the yr as lame and boring in a division that simply loaded as much as destroy them. However then the Rays and Orioles kinda simply… gave up, and the Blue Jays have been simply the most effective staff within the AL East this season. That is only a OPS manufacturing unit.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is harm proper now, and Jays followers will hope that doesn’t linger too lengthy. However even when it does, the Blue Jays are at no danger of dropping the division to Boston or New York, so they need to be fantastic retaining it cautious.
Tier 1: The Milwaukee Brewers
Greatest power: Profitable each recreation
I’m not going to bemoan the purpose you may get on any discuss present or energy rankings or road nook within the midwest: this staff is loopy. They by no means lose, are simply the general one seed a seem like they could simply roll their solution to the promised land on clutch win after clutch win. The NL is legit good, and it’s not going to be a cakewalk. But when I had anybody else in first, I’d be mendacity to your face.
