MLB Second Half Predictions
So the trade deadline came and went, and many competitors improved their chances of making the playoffs while others, ahem, Red Sox and Mets, apparently do not want to make the playoffs or, at least, thought they were in a good enough spot to not add too much.
I think it is safe to say, as the Mets currently hover with a one-game lead over the Phillies, the Mets should have done more.
The Phillies continue to surge. With their already impressive pitching and the addition of Kyle Gibson, expect them to make it stressful for Mets fans down the stretch. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)
With the subpar NL East battling for who can be the least bad team, both Atlanta and Philadelphia bolstered their rosters in the hopes of catching the Mets.
While the Mets did add swing-happy Javier Baez, they neglected to address their pitching, despite knowing hours before the deadline that Jacob deGrom was about to be shut down for 2 weeks.
With this opening, and the Phillies’ offensive explosion, I expect the Phillies to now make it interesting down the stretch for the Mets.
While looking at the Braves moves over the deadline, while the addition of top closer Richard Rodriguez should help solidify their bullpen woes, the issues still remain with their pitching staff itself. The Braves will always be a thorn in the Mets side, and I expect it to be a photo finish, yet ultimately, I think once Lindor returns, the Mets win the division. But barely.
Their lineup is too good to continue to underperform. Expect their first half pitching to kick back in, with Carrasco and Syndergaard carrying the freight down the stretch.
Anthony Rizzo had an impressive Yankees debut. Will he contribute enough offense to put the Yankees in the postseason? (Eric Espada/Getty Images)
Now, would I even be a true Mets fan if I didn’t hate the cross-town Yankees? But alas, I can’t with the moves GM Brian Cashman made.
While I still think they miss the playoffs, the additions of Gallo and Rizzo will make the race interesting. Assessing the division, I think the Rays continue to find a way to win, and, alternatively, the Red Sox offense overcomes their woes and surges into first place.
That leaves an all-out battle for the Wild Card game.
Boston and Oakland currently possess the two spots, so, the Jays, Yankees and Mariners will all have to claw their way in. The Mariners did not get it done at the deadline. Their now infamous trade of Graveman, only to get another reliever in Diego Castillo was a grave error that GM Jerry Dipoto will likely never admit to.
With the Jays already having an impressive lineup, the addition of Berrios makes them have a solid rotation, especially for season series down the stretch. Expect them to make a surge.
Lastly, the Yankees. While their lineup has grossly underperformed, their pitching is likely pitching to what they are capable of.
Cashman apparently feels confident enough in the rotation or thought Andrew Heany could be enough of a boost. Either way, I think their hopes to slug their way into the playoffs will be problematic as their lineup has never really gotten going. So, it is hard to expect that now, with seven weeks to go, they suddenly figure it out. But, I am a child of the 90s so I know better than to count those damn Yankees out.
Examining the other key races, I think both AL and NL Central leaders can pop open the champagne now; no one is catching the White Sox nor the Brewers. The AL West will likely go to the Astros, while the Giants continue to surprise and likely hold onto their lead.
As for the NL Wild Card? Well, Dodgers of course, and I still expect the Reds to make a push. Either way, expect to see me panicking down the stretch, hoping both my predictions and Mets win.