Over the course of a long 162 game MLB season, teams rise, and teams fall. So with this list, we will take a look at three teams building on success. And three other teams looking to rebound.
1 Up: New York Yankees
Although the injury bug has ravaged the Yankees All-Star starting lineup, the Yankees depth has stepped up in a significant way. The second and for some the third wave of players have delivered. Over their last ten games, the Yankees are 8-2 bringing them to within just two games of the AL East Division leading Tampa Bay Rays.
1 Down: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Even with a win last night, the LA Angels have been struggling mightily this season. After doling out the largest contract in professional sports to Mike Trout (very much deserving, might I add.) The rest of the Angels players have not responded well to that vote of confidence in the best player ever. Over their last ten games, the Angels are just 2-8 and overall are six games under .500. The Angels were a club that people expected to play better this season as they have a very good lineup. And even with questions in the rotation should have been strong enough to play over .500 baseball. It is still early, but the signs don’t look good for the Angels right now.
2 Up: Colorado Rockies
Just last week the Rockies were a down trotted ballclub and residing on the opposite end of this list. But as we said in the opening segment of this piece teams fall and rise. And this week the Rockies have risen from the dead. And even though the Blake Street boys are still under .500, they are moving towards that mark at a blistering pace. Look for continued improvement to propel the Rockies forward and onto the back of the NL West leading LA Dodgers.
2 Down: Milwaukee Brewers
One of the surprising clubs of 2018, the Brewers would get off to a hot start this season. However, the heat has faded, and now we are left questioning what is going on in Milwaukee? Over their last ten games, the Brew Crew have dropped 7 of those ten contest and have a negative run differential of -14. If the Brewers want to find their way back to the postseason, they are going to need to turn it around soon.
3 Up: Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks were a club that wasn’t expected to compete this season for anything meaningful. They would trade away their best player in Paul Goldschmidt. And that was seen as a sign of throwing in the towel before the season even started. But someone forgot to tell that to the Arizona Diamondbacks players, as they are currently four games over .500 with a positive run differential of +24. And also (as of this writing) just half a game back of the Dodgers for first place in the NL West.
3 Down: Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates much like the Diamondbacks were not expected to compete this season. But unlike the Diamondbacks right now the Pirates are not playing good baseball. And while over their last ten games they are 5-5, the Pirates have dropped five straight games. And with those five straight losses have fallen to -14 in run differential. If Pittsburgh wants to maintain their spot as third in the competitive NL Central, they will need to find a way to turn it around.
B.O.L.O: St. Louis Cardinals
As bad as the Pittsburgh Pirates have looked over their last five games the opposite is true of the Cardinals. The Cardinals are currently riding a five game win streak and have a run differential of +33. Which is tops among National League teams and only behind the Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners in all of MLB. If the Cards keep this up a long postseason run is “in the cards.”
