Baseball Wrap-Up: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not

It’s been a busy few weeks in baseball, and we’re here to wrap it all up for you! Here’s a look at who’s been hot and who’s been not-so-hot lately.

spring training Update

The start of the baseball season is just around the corner, and teams are finishing up their Spring Training schedules. Here’s a look at who’s hot and who’s not heading into the season.

Who’s Hot:
The Los Angeles Angels have been on fire this spring, winning 12 of their last 14 games. slugger Chris Davis has been leading the charge, hitting .343 with four home runs and 11 RBIs. The Houston Astros have also been playing well, going 11-3 in their last 14 games. George Springer has been carrying the offense, batting .340 with three home runs and 10 RBIs.

Who’s Not:
The Washington Nationals have struggled this spring, going 6-10 in their last 16 games. Bryce Harper has been one of the few bright spots, batting .333 with two home runs and eight RBIs. The Kansas City Royals have also struggled, going 7-9 in their last 16 games. First baseman Eric Hosmer has been one of the few bright spots, batting .313 with three Home Runs and 10 RBIs.

Opening Day Rundown

It’s been a whirlwind start to the baseball season and there have been plenty of surprises. Here’s a look at who’s hot and who’s not so far this season:

Who’s hot:

The Kansas City Royals have been one of the biggest surprises in baseball, with a strong start that has them near the top of the standings. They’ve been led by great hitting from newcomers Jorge Soler and Whit Merrifield, as well as solid pitching from their starting rotation.

The Houston Astros have also been one of the best teams in baseball, thanks in large part to their potent offense. Jose Altuve and George Springer have been leading the way, while their pitching staff has been among the best in baseball.

Who’s not:

The Seattle Mariners were expected to be one of the better teams in baseball, but they’ve struggled out of the gate and currently sit near the bottom of the standings. They’ve been hurt by poor hitting from Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano as well as some uncharacteristically bad pitching from Felix Hernandez.

Mid-Season Review

As the all-star break approaches, we take a look at which teams are overachieving and which ones are underperforming.

In the American League the Houston Astros have been the biggest surprise, with a young team that is contending for a playoff spot. The Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins are also playing better than expected.

On the other hand, the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox are both struggling, and it looks like they will be sellers at the trade deadline The same is true for the Baltimore Orioles who have been hit hard by injuries.

In the National League the Milwaukee Brewers are leaders in the Central Division thanks to solid pitching and some timely hitting. The Philadelphia Phillies are also near the top of their division, despite some early season struggles.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been a disappointment, as they have underperformed despite having one of the best rosters in baseball. The same is true for the San Francisco Giants who are trying to hang on in a tough division race.

Trade Deadline Recap

The Major League Baseball trade deadline has come and gone, and we’ve seen some big names on the move. Here’s a quick recap of who’s hot and who’s not as we head into the stretch run of the season.

Players to watch:
--Manny Machado Slugging shortstop acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Baltimore Orioles Unhappy in Baltimore, Machado is motivated to show he’s still one of the best players in baseball He’s hitting .315/.387/.575 with 21 home runs for the Dodgers.
-Cole Hamels, Veteran left-handed starter acquired by the Chicago Cubs from the Texas Rangers Hamels is 3-0 with a 0.69 ERA in four starts for the Cubs, looking every bit like the ace they needed to solidify their rotation.
-Jonny Venters, Reliever acquired by the Tampa Bay Rays from the Atlanta Braves Venters hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2012 due to injury, but he’s made a successful return with Tampa Bay posting a 1.54 ERA in 23 appearances.

Players to avoid:
-Edinson Volquez, Starter acquired by the Miami Marlins from the Toronto Blue Jays Volquez has been brutal for Miami, going 1-4 with a 7.46 ERA in six starts since coming over from Toronto.
-Wilson Ramos, Catcher acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies from the Tampa Bay Rays Ramos was having a solid season for Tampa Bay before being traded, but he’s struggled mightily since joining Philadelphia, batting just .165/.200/.265 in 23 games.

September Call-ups

In baseball, a September call-up is the promotion of a minor League Baseball player to the Major Leagues when Major League Baseball’s (MLB) roster expands on September 1, the day after the Major League Baseball season ends.

The rules governing September call-ups allow each team to expand its active roster from 25 players to 40 players. In addition, teams are allowed to call up an unlimited number of pitchers from their minor league affiliate that are on the 40-man roster. Outfielders and infielders are limited to a combined total of six call-ups, regardless of whether they are on the 40-man roster or not.

September call-ups generally consist of prospects that the team wishes to evaluate for future inclusion on the active roster, as well as veteran Minor League journeymen who provide Triple-A level depth for their NHL affiliate.

October Observations

As the calendar prepares to turn to October, let’s take a look at some of the MLB teams that are hot and those that are not as the postseason approaches.

Who’s hot:
-The Houston Astros have been on fire lately, winning 21 of their last 27 games. They’re currently leading the AL West by 7.5 games.
-The Boston Red Sox have also been red-hot, winning 19 of their last 25 games. They hold a comfortable 5.5 game lead in the AL East.
-The Chicago Cubs have been playing well of late, too, winning 17 of their last 22 games. They’re currently leading the NL Central by 3 games.

Who’s not:
-The Los Angeles Angels have struggled as of late, only winning 9 of their last 25 games. They’re currently trailing the Astros by 7.5 games in the AL West.
-The Toronto Blue Jays have also sputtered lately, only winning 11 of their last 25 games. They’re currently 5 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East standings
-Lastly, the San Francisco Giants have really struggled as of late, losing 20 of their last 27 games. They’re currently sitting in last place in the NL West, 13 games behind the first place Los Angeles Dodgers

Post-Season Preview

It’s that time of year again! The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling off, and the best teams in baseball are gearing up for the post-season. While there are always surprises in store, here’s a look at who’s hot and who’s not heading into the playoffs.

Who’s Hot:
The Houston Astros have been on fire lately, winning 16 of their last 20 games. They’re led by superstar shortstop Carlos Correa, who’s batting .400 with 6 home runs and 18 RBIs over that span. The Astros are also getting solid contributions from their starting rotation, which has an MLB-best ERA of 2.66 in September.

Who’s Not:
The Boston Red Sox have been struggling down the stretch, going just 8-11 in their last 19 games. Their offense has particularly struggled, scoring 3 or fewer runs in 12 of those contests. If the Sox are going to make a run in the postseason, they’ll need to turn things around quickly.

World Series Wrap-up

The Boston Red Sox are your 2018 World Champions! With a final score of 4-1 in Game 5, the Sox won the best of seven series 4-1 against the Los Angeles Dodgers It’s their fourth title in the last 15 years and ninth overall. Mookie Betts was named the World Series MVP.

Hot Stove League Rumors

With the baseball season wrapping up, it’s time to start looking ahead to next year. The Hot Stove League is already heating up with rumors about who will be traded and who will be free agents Here’s a look at some of the latest rumors:

The Red Sox are rumored to be interested in free agent outfielder Bryce Harper Harper would be a good fit for the Red Sox who are looking to add another bat to their lineup.

The Yankees are also rumored to be interested in Harper, but they may also pursue free agent infielder Manny Machado. Machado would be a good fit for the Yankees, who are looking to upgrade their infield defense.

The Mets are rumored to be interested in Free Agent reliever Craig Kimbrel Kimbrel would be a good addition to the Mets’ bullpen, which was one of the worst in baseball this season.

The Cubs are rumored to be interested in free agent starter Dallas Keuchel. Keuchel would be a good addition to the Cubs’ rotation, which is likely to lose starter Cole Hamels to Free agency

Winter Meetings Preview

The major league baseball winter meetings are an annual event where representatives from all 30 teams meet to discuss league business and conduct off-season trades. This year’s meetings will be held December 9-12 in San Diego

The winter meetings are always a hotbed of trade activity, and this year should be no different. With several high-profile free agents still on the market, there are sure to be plenty of rumors and speculation about where they will end up.

Here is a look at some of the biggest names that could be on the move this winter:

Gerrit Cole: The 29-year-old right-hander is arguably the top Free Agent on the market, and he is expected to command a record contract. Cole is coming off a career year in which he went 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA and led the majors in strikeouts with 276. He is reportedly seeking a contract in excess of $250 million, and the New York Yankees are said to be the frontrunners for his services.

Zack Greinke: The 35-year-old right-hander opted out of his contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks after going 18-5 with a 2.93 ERA last season. He is reportedly seeking a three-year deal in the $100 million range, and there are several teams interested in his services. The Diamondbacks are said to be open to bringing him back, but they may not be willing to meet his asking price.

Stephen Strasburg: The 31-year-old righty had perhaps the best season of his career in 2019, going 18-6 with a 3.32 ERA while leading the majors in strikeouts with 251. He opted out of his contract with the Washington Nationals after they declined his $20 million option for 2020, making him a free agent He is reportedly seeking a five or six-year deal worth around $180 million, and it remains to be seen if the cash-strapped Nationals will be able to re-sign him.