As the 2019 MLB Season thunders onward, multiple teams are starting to see what needs improvement down the line. For some teams, that list is longer than for others. Though we’ve seen teams fair the way we’d expected, there are plenty of surprises already this season, for better or worse.
These are just a few trending topics dominating the conversation in this new season of baseball.
The city of Los Angeles has plenty to cheer for in its baseball camp, whether a Dodgers fan or an Angels fan.
Cody Bellinger during 2018 Season (LA Times)
The Dodgers have bolted their way to the top of the National League, despite not having Clayton Kershaw active. Leading the way is first-baseman, Cody Bellinger. The former NL Rookie of the Year is starting his season white-hot. Bellinger currently leads the majors in both home runs and RBI. His above .400 batting average makes him all the more terrifying from the batter’s box. There are plenty of things going well for the Dodgers, but #35 has been the most dangerous weapon in 2019.
Boasting the largest contract in North American sports, Mike Trout is entering the fray with the whole baseball world watching. Already, he’s taking names with five home runs, 12 RBI and a .360 batting average in his first 11 games. The Angels’ star player is well on his way to another MVP-caliber season, if he remains healthy.
Both the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bays are having similar stories entering 2019. Each squad is in a very competitive division and have put their best foot forward to begin the new campaign.
Image Courtesy of the Seattle Times
Before the season even began, some experts and fans predicted to see The Tampa Bay Rays in the playoffs in 2019, based on how they turned around last season. Tampa Bay has already begun to show teeth from the pitchers’ mound. Besides their Cy Young Award winner, Blake Snell, Yonny Chrinos and Tyler Glasnow both have gone undefeated from the mound boasting ERAs of below 1.00. With the rest of the AL East shaking off slow starts, the Rays need to keeping taking advantage and get further ahead than they are now.
The Seattle Mariners underwent a huge roster change in the offseason, with Robinson Cano and Jean Segura no longer in tow. But just when people were doubting, several Mariners players took over and brought Seattle to the top of the American League. With names like Daniel Vogelbach, Domingo Santana and Tim Beckham, the Mariners look to keep putting distance between them and the rest of the AL West.
Image Courtesy of MassLive.com
Last season, the Boston Red Sox were on Cloud Nine after winning the World Series with a first-year skipper. But now, they sit 3-8 and at the bottom of the AL East. Although J.D. Martinez is starting to revamp his All-Star strides, many of his teammates, mainly the pitchers, are having trouble early in 2019. There is more than enough baseball for the Red Sox to improve and turn around their current luck. But manager Alex Cora and the gang will have to make several adjustments down the line, if they want to keep their World Series title.
With a roster that includes Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, Kyle Freeland, and Charlie Blackmon, you think Colorado would burst through to start the new year. But like Boston, they sit at the bottom of their division. With two of their three coming from their first two games, the Rockies will have to kick it up a notch to retain their playoff contending strides. Not to mention wins are very difficult to come by while playing at home in Coors Field. However, it is far too soon to reach for the panic button. Colorado will need to adjust and find more winning formulas, along with ways to make those formulas consistently work.
Featured image courtesy of Huffington Post
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