Throughout the first two months of the season some of the teams who we thought were going to be at the top might not have performed to the level we thought they were going to. Teams have been streaky and as we enter the month of June there have been five teams who have looked very good for the most part of the early season. Due to great performances by young stars and already established superstars these teams were able to dominate the early portion of the season. Is the success sustainable? Do these teams need to add more pieces? Are these teams ready to win right now? These are all questions we the people in the front office of these five teams need to ask, but right now they are performing at a very high level.
New York Yankees
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – MAY 29: Clay Holmes #35 of the New York Yankees reacts to a double play during the ninth inning in a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 29, 2024 in Anaheim, California.
The New York Yankees, despite not owning the best record in baseball (by one game) have been the best team in baseball throughout the first two months of the season. The Yankees have the potential to have an extreme amount of success in the now, and in the future. This is because of the diverse lineup their diverse lineup, and the number of prospects they have. The Yankees must go out and fill some holes they have in the bullpen with a potential trade involving some of the younger players in the organization. The Yankees currently have arguably the best one, two, and three hitters in baseball as we currently sit here on May 30th. Budding star Anthony Volpe is always setting the table for the two Yankee superstars Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Volpe, Soto and Judge have carried the Yankees to begin the year and have propelled the Yankees to first place in the AL East and have sole possession of the best record in the American League two months into the season. The Yankees, as good as they have been playing, still have a lot of question marks in the bullpen, something that general manager Brian Cashman is going to have to address as the season goes on and the trade deadline approaches. The bullpen has been exceptional for the Yankees to start the year, but the team lacks reliable pitchers who have track records. This need will have to be addressed at some point throughout the season for the Yankees to feel comfortable heading into October. The Yankees also have a major question regarding their best current pitcher Luis Gil. Gil who has been transcendent for the Yankees this season pitching to a very impressive 1.99 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, has also struck out 79 batters over 63.1 innings while posting a 7-1 record has never thrown more than 96 innings in a minor league season and is coming off Tommy John surgery. The question is, with the team being so great this year do you limit his innings or let him continue to be the ace he has shown he can be so far. The Yankees are on the verge of getting Gerrit Cole back as he is very close to a rehab assignment. The reigning Cy Young award winner is expected to be back by the end of June, and this can certainly help the Yankees limit Gils innings. If the Yankees can find a way to address the bullpen and get some reliable relivers in their bullpen a World Series run is not so farfetched this year.
Philadelphia Phillies
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 29: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a single, scoring Bobby Dickerson in the top of the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on May 29, 2024 in San Francisco, California.
The Philadelphia Phillies currently own the best record in baseball at 39-18 and have shown no signs of slowing down. The Phillies rank top 5 in every hitting category including; first in runs, second in hits, average, and OBP, while also ranking fourth and third in slugging and OPS. This is exceptionally impressive because they are doing it without there leadoff man Trea Turner who was hitting .343 before his hamstring injury. The Phillies’ third baseman Alec Bohm has picked up right where he left off from 2023 a season where he knocked in 97 runs. He currently leads the team in RBIs with 47 and has been a major reason why the Phillies hold the best record in baseball. The Phillies have also been fueled by exceptional pitching over the first two months of the season, with their team ERA ranking second in the majors at 3.08. A strong start from Ranger Suarez who has started the season with a 1.75 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP through his first 12 starts is something the Phillies did not have last year when he pitched to a 4.18 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. The Phillies have question marks in the bullpen, but if they can find a way to add reliable arms to the back end of their bullpen by the trade deadline, get and stay healthy, they may be able to hold onto the best record in baseball by the time we reach late September.
Cleveland Guardians
DENVER, CO – MAY 29: Brayan Rocchio #4 of the Cleveland Guardians hits an RBI single during the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on May 29, 2024 in Denver, Colorado.
The Cleveland Guardians have had an unbelievable first two months of the season, and this gives them the third best winning percentage and a record of 37-19 to start the year. The Guardians are currently 8-2 in there last 10 games and are showing no signs of slowing down. The team ranks second in runs per game with 5.1 and are top 5 in runs allowed at 3.8. Superstar Jose Ramirez has been the catalyst of this fast start as he leads the majors in RBIs at 56, 10 more than the next guy behind him. The Guardians rank top 10 in six of eight pitching categories and have the best closer in baseball. Emmanuel Clase who when the year started was a potential trade candidate for contending teams is no longer that, at least where we stand right now. Cleveland can look to add another big bat to the middle of the order, preferably in the outfield and this team is poised for a deep post season run.
Los Angeles Dodgers
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 29: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in action against the New York Mets at Citi Field on May 29, 2024 in the Queens borough of New York City.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been somewhat of a streaky team to start the year, but they still hold a 36-22 record. The offseason additions of Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have made this team even more formidable than it has been in years past by making the rotation and lineups that much deeper at a superstar level. Ohtani has produced 14 home runs, 38 RBIs while also hitting .330 and stealing 13 bases. Hernandez has been a great run producer in the middle of a great Dodger lineup, hitting .260, with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs. The depth of the Dodgers’ rotation is what separates them from other teams. The additions of Yamamoto, and James Paxton, and the emergence of Gavin Stone have put the Dodgers rotation close to the top and potentially having the best starting rotation in baseball. The Dodgers need to get a healthy Evan Phillips back, one of the league’s newest premier closers and they can be well on their way to playing yet another season into October.
Baltimore Orioles
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – MAY 29: Ramón Urías #29 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a solo home run in the seventh inning during a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 29, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Baltimore Orioles certainly have youth on their side, and that youth is FULL of young exceptional players. The Orioles currently sit at 35-19 which is good enough for second in the AL east and they are only going to get better. The Orioles took a chance this offseason by going out and acquiring a certified ace in Corbin Burnes to help grow this young group of players, after they held the best record in the American League last season. Gunner Henderson and Adley Rutschman have been two dominant forces at the top of the Oriole lineup. Their progression over the past two years is a major reason why the Orioles are a top five team in baseball right now. The Oriole rotation has been exceptional ranking third in BAA, fourth in hits allowed, fifth in ERA and fourth in WHIP. Burnes has led the way in the Baltimore rotation, pitching a total of 72.2 innings while pitching to a dominant 2.35 ERA, and 1.05 WHIP. The Orioles are without their all-star closer Felix Bautista and expect to be all year. Craig Kimbrel has filled in recording 12 saves, but it has been anything but easy for Kimbrel lately as he lost the closer role to poor performance, but then earned it back. Baltimore, like the rest of the top teams, will be in the market for a topflight reliever as the deadline approaches, and whoever is able to win the deadline may just have the edge over all the other top teams.
