Each week, the California Post ranks all 30 MLB teams and takes a look at some noteworthy award races. Here’s the first installment:
1) Dodgers (4-2): Their star players aren’t really hitting, yet they still sit at 4-2, showing strong performances against their rivals. Just wait until they get exciting again.
2) Yankees (5-1): With a team ERA of 1.01, it’s tough to determine who’s had a better week: Max Fried (2-0, 13 1/3 scoreless innings, 10 strikeouts) or Cam Schrittler (2-0, 11 2/3 scoreless innings, 15 strikeouts).
3) Brewers (5-1): They’ve been solid on the mound, with Jacob Misiorowski racking up 18 strikeouts in 11 innings. Christian Yelich, Bryce Turan, and even Gary Sanchez are contributing, leaving them tied for the league lead in runs.
4) Blue Jays (4-2): A surprising opening week included a home series loss to the Rockies. Nevertheless, Kazuma Okamoto has hit two home runs already, helping them start off strong.
5) Braves (4-2): Compared to last season, this year the Braves achieved their fourth win much earlier. They boast a 2.00 ERA, which is the best in the National League, showcasing their ability to win games.
6) Rangers (4-2): It’s remarkable what scoring can do. Last year, their weak offense squandered solid pitching. This time, players like Andrew McCutchen are heating up early.
7) Astros (5-2): It feels a bit nostalgic in Houston, with Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, and Carlos Correa leading a lineup that is surprisingly dynamic.
8) Mets (3-3): An unexpected week for the National League’s wild-card contenders. After knocking out Paul Skeens on opening day, Luis Robert’s walk-off hit sealed that game. It’s also worth noting Bo Bichette faced boos before leaving the series in St. Louis.
9) Phillies (3-3): Welcome to the big leagues, Justin Crawford. The young player is batting over .400 and got his first career RBI with a walk-off hit. On the flip side, some of the more experienced players like Kyle Schwarber and Trey Turner are struggling.
10) Mariners (3-4): Cal Lowry, following last year’s 60 home runs, is off to a slow start, having yet to hit any long balls with 15 strikeouts so far.
11) Cubs (3-3): The Cubs put up the eighth-highest runs last week, but allowed more than two runs in just two games. They split a six-game homestand against the Nationals and Angels—it’s just baseball, I suppose.
12) Marlins (5-1): While their competition has been the Rockies and White Sox, the positive vibes are evident after last year’s strong finish, especially with Liam Hicks and Sandy Alcantara playing well.
13) Guardians (4-3): Winning a series in LA this season is no small feat. After a week of play, the Guardians pulled it off, managing to avoid a serious injury to rookie star Chase DeLauter.
14) Orioles (3-3): Pete Alonso celebrated his first home run for the Orioles, but the team’s offensive support remains uncertain, despite Trevor Rogers having a solid 1.76 ERA over 20 starts since last season.
15) Royals (3-3): An encouraging opening week with young slugger Jack Carione showing potential with six hits in 18 at-bats.
16) D-backs (3-3): They faced a rough start against the Dodgers but bounced back to dominate the Tigers at home, thanks to Corbin Carroll’s excellent performance.
17) Pirates (3-3): Paul Skeens managed to lower his ERA below 10.00 after a rough opening. On a brighter note, the Pirates lead the MLB with 10 home runs.
18) Tigers (2-4): After a strong opening day, they struggled, including a disappointing shutout loss despite Tarik Skubal’s remarkable seven-inning performance.
19) Red Sox (1-5): They should have held onto their opening game win, as they haven’t won since. Wylya Abreu is the only regular batting above .230, and their ERA, at 4.91, is among the worst.
20) Giants (2-4): With Tony Vitello making headlines for questionable reasons, Luis Arraez shines with a .304 average, while the rest of the lineup goes through growing pains.
21) Padres (2-4): They entered the season with pitching concerns, but what they really can’t afford is a continuation of last week’s struggles—including a batting average of .202 and only three home runs.
22) Cardinals (4-2): The rebuilding process began surprisingly well, with wins against the Rays and Mets, showcasing young pitching talents Matthew Liberatore and Michael McGreevy.
23) Rays (2-4): Yandy Diaz is still a key player, and Drew Rasmussen is making a name during his All-Star season, but it’s unclear if they can emerge as an unexpected playoff contender.
24) Reds (3-3): Hunter Greene’s injury made a rough start, but rookie Sal Stewart is showing promise and might be a bright spot.
25) Nationals (3-3): They managed a solid batting average on a tough road trip and are gearing up to host the Dodgers for their home opener.
26) Twins (2-4): Making some history early on, Derek Shelton became the first manager ejected for comments about ABS.
27) Angels (3-4): Hopes of a quick start faded as they lost four of their last five games.
28) Athletics (1-5): Shea Langeliers hit five home runs, but not much else went right in a week that started with back-to-back walk-off losses.
29) Rockies (2-4): Their pitching was decent on the road, but they face a tough test against the Phillies this weekend back at Coors Field.
30) White Sox (1-5): Good news—Munetaka Murakami has three home runs already. Bad news—they hit just .192 overall, with an 8.63 ERA.
Award Tracker: NL Cy Young
1) Sandy Alcantara, Marlins (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 16 innings, 12 strikeouts, 0.56 WHIP)
Alcantara earned his first shutout of the season, though only 6,505 fans showed to witness his impressive game at Lorne Depot Park.
2) Chris Sale, Braves (2-0, 0.75 ERA, 12 innings, 9 strikeouts, 0.58 WHIP)
Despite feeling “sick as a dog,” Sale limited the Athletics to just a home run in his start against them.
3) Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers (1 win, 0 losses, ERA 0.00, 6 innings, 6 strikeouts, WHIP 0.67)
Ohtani almost pitched a no-hitter until a double broke his momentum in the fourth inning against the Guardians.
