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1Q report: Takeaways from the quarter mark of the 2024 MLB season
Most MLB teams have either already reached the 40-game mark or will at the end of their weekend series, meaning we've reached the quarter mark of the 2024 season.
Here are eight takeaways from the first portion of the year.
Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga was the most important offseason import
With all the attention the Dodgers received for signing Japanese League star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Cubs' signing of Imanaga didn't make quite as many headlines. But the former Yokohama ace has been stellar in his first season in Chicago.
Imanaga is currently fourth in NL Cy Young odds, and he'll have stronger odds if he maintains his MLB-best 1.08 earned run average.
Per data from Baseball Savant, Imanaga makes up for below-average velocity with one of the best chase-rates in the league, ranking in the 97th percentile among pitchers in getting batters to swing at pitches outside of the strike zone.
The Marlins are trapped in a vicious cycle
Every so often, the Marlins appear to be building toward something promising, only to turn around and let all of their talent head elsewhere.
Instead of building upon last season's unexpected wild-card berth, Miami is once again selling off its most valuable assets. Earlier this month, the Marlins traded two-time All-Star Luis Arraez, unquestionably the team's best position player, to the Padres, signaling another long rebuild is underway.
Red Sox pitchers recalibrate 2024 expectations
Not much was expected from Boston after it sat on its hands during the offseason and (seemingly) watched the rest of the AL East get better.
Instead, the Red Sox (19-19) are in the mix for a playoff berth due to the strength of their pitching staff. Boston starting pitchers lead the majors with a 2.39 ERA in 192.1 innings pitched, per FanGraphs.
Beside its outfield production, Boston's lineup is lacking. Second base has been particularly cumbersome, with Enmanuel Valdez, Pablo Reyes, David Hamilton and Vaughn Grissom all receiving playing time at the position and floundering. They've combined for a .171 batting average, a significant reason for Sox second basemen having the league's worst wins above replacement (WAR) at the position.
Limitations to the lineup gives Boston a hard ceiling, but the outstanding production from its pitching staff might make the front office consider becoming buyers as the trade deadline nears.
The Astros are in trouble
Houston may have already played itself out of an eighth consecutive playoff appearance because of its pitching woes.
According to Stathead, since 1901, only three teams in MLB history have made the playoffs after winning a third of their first 36 games or fewer. Houston is seeking to become the fourth after its 12-24 start.
The Astros are 12-24, their worst start in ten years.
— Stathead (@Stathead) May 9, 2024
Only three teams since 1901 have made the postseason after winning 12 or fewer of their first 36 games, and one of those three came during the strike-shortened 1981 season. pic.twitter.com/tYSuqRTqqi
The Astros (14-24) rank 28th in team ERA (4.92) despite righthander Ronel Blanco's breakout season. Second baseman Jose Altuve and shortstop Jeremy Pena have been strong at the plate, and outfielder Kyle Tucker leads the AL in home runs (12).
But unless Houston gets more from its pitching staff, its string of postseason appearances will soon be over.
The Yankees are legit
New York's hot start has proven not to be a fluke.
The Yankees are a legitimate contender to the Orioles for AL East supremacy as their offense has gotten going after slumbering through 2023. Juan Soto, the team's key offseason acquisition, has been sensational and is the favorite to win AL MVP (+275). In 40 games, he leads the league with a .429 on-base percentage and is batting .325 with nine home runs.
Aaron Judge is heating up after a slow start. Over his last 13 games, the 2022 AL MVP is hitting .356 with five home runs. Per Baseball Reference, the Yankees' playoff odds have increased 70.4 percentage points since the start of the regular season.
AL Central is up for grabs
The Guardians, Twins and Royals are within a half-game of each other for first in the division standings.
Cleveland was one of the league's best teams through the first month of the season, while Minnesota has rebounded from a dismal start to go 16-2 over its last 18 games. Meanwhile, Kansas City is led by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who is second to Soto in the AL MVP race.
Shohei Ohtani levels up
The two-time MVP is off to a scorching start in his first season in Dodgers blue.
He leads the NL with a .359 batting average and has the best barrel rate (24.2%) in the majors, leading to his robust 61.3% hard hit rate, also tops in baseball. It's difficult living up to the hype when so much is expected, but Ohtani is making it look easy.
Phillies-Braves looks like a season-long battle
Stock up on peanuts and crackerjacks because the NL East battle between the Phillies and Braves looks like it could extend to the fall solstice.
The Braves were widely viewed as the biggest challenger to the Dodgers entering the season, but the Phillies, led on the mound by NL Cy Young favorite Zack Wheeler and at the plate by first baseman Bryce Harper, have been on a tear to start 2024, racing out to the best record in baseball at 27-12.
The Braves (23-12) aren't far behind, and the teams have three series remaining on the 2024 schedule, including two after the All-Star break.
Buckle in. One quarter of the season in the books, and the remainder of the season is shaping up to be just as entertaining.
More must-reads:
- Why is a Cardinals lineup built to slug not producing?
- Dodgers' Tyler Glasnow continues dominance in loss to Padres
- The 'MLB mascot names' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
New suitor emerges for Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez
The Arizona Diamondbacks have plenty of suitors for third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A new team has reportedly entered the market for his services. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Phillies have reached out regarding Suarez. While Lauber did not provide any indication as to whether or not those talks have gained traction, the Phillies are an intriguing suitor for the Diamondbacks' third baseman. The Phillies' interest may be a recent development. Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated on Friday that the Phillies could emerge as a suitor in the wake of third baseman Alec Bohm landing on the injured list with a fractured left rib. Suarez is in the midst of what is arguably his best season thus far. He has produced a .249/.321/.587 batting line in 421 plate appearances entering Saturday with 36 homers and a major league-leading 87 RBI. Suarez would be more than just another powerful bat in the lineup. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper are both left-handed hitters — adding Suarez would provide more balance in the batting order. He would also provide a counter against opposing managers bringing in a lefty reliever to face Schwarber and Harper. The biggest question would be how the Phillies would handle an eventual logjam on the roster. Bohm is expected to return from the IL in mid-August and would not have a clear path to regular at-bats if Suarez were acquired. Schwarber could theoretically return to left field to open up playing time at the DH spot, but his outfield defense is mediocre at best. However, as the Phillies are also looking to upgrade the outfield, where Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh have been disappointments, adding Suarez could solve several problems in one fell swoop.
Shedeur Sanders gets new chance after Browns QB injury
Shedeur Sanders has been working with the Cleveland Browns' equipment staff as the No. 4 quarterback this summer. He'll have a new opportunity following troubling injury news for Kenny Pickett. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Pickett suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday's practice and will not receive reps until his issue is re-evaluated. "Browns QB Kenny Pickett injured his hamstring near the end of Saturday’s practice and is expected to re-evaluate the injury later this week, per sources," Schefter posted on X. "Pickett was coming off a strong couple of practices, per sources, and at least for the short term, there now will be more reps for Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Pickett's injury will shake up the quarterback race in Cleveland. Through OTAs and early in training camp, Sanders has been the odd man out as the only signal caller on the roster not to receive reps with the first-team offense. It's unclear if the Browns coaching staff intends to give Sanders reps with the first-team offense now that Pickett is sidelined, but the fifth-round pick will have more chances this week to prove that he deserves an opportunity to stay in Cleveland. The Browns are in a unique situation with their rookie quarterbacks. Third-round pick Dillon Gabriel was selected before Sanders, but the son of Deion Sanders fell to Day 3 of the draft for reasons other than talent. The majority of draft analysts had Sanders as a better-graded quarterback than Gabriel, and many thought the Colorado product would be taken in the first round. The Browns can use the injury as an excuse to give Sanders reps with the first team, and it's a task they need to take advantage of before the team names a starter. Sanders has the potential to be a starter in the league, and this week is pivotal for his rookie season in Cleveland.
Lakers' Luka Doncic Going Viral for Shocking Body Transformation
The Los Angeles Lakers have been very invested in getting Luka Doncic into better shape this offseason. After how poorly he played defense and how tired he looked against Minnesota in the playoffs, it has been their top priority. Doncic has never been the most fit player in the league. He is still one of the best players in the league, but he could be a lot better if he were less tired at the end of the season. So far this offseason, it looks like Doncic has been committed to the training program that the Lakers put him on. He looks like an entirely different player. More news: NBA Insider Reveals Why Bradley Beal Spurned Lakers for Clippers A video of Doncic has been circulating online, showing off his body transformation. The Lakers would be thrilled if Doncic were able to stay this fit all year long. He needs to be able to play better defense now that he is the face of the franchise, and that could be abetted by improved lateral quickness. A big reason why the Lakers lost to the Timberwolves in the playoffs is because of their inability to stop guards from penetrating the paint. The starting backcourt is not a good defensive one. Doncic isn't the only one to blame for poor perimeter defense. Austin Reaves isn't the best defender, either. The difference with him is that he at least tries to be in the right spot on defense. At times against the Wolves, he was too tired to actually stay in front of some of the players who were attacking him. A large part of Minnesota's game plan was to get Doncic switched on to Anthony Edwards. More news: Massive 5-Team Blockbuster Trade Sees Lakers' LeBron James Shipped for $238 Million All-Star The Lakers would be in a great position to contend for a title if Doncic could stay in shape for an entire season. Based on this video, he has a renewed commitment to doing that. Doncic likely has extra motivation to show the Dallas Mavericks what they decided to trade away. He wants to prove them wrong for deciding to get rid of him. After he was traded to the Lakers, Doncic averaged 28.2 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. He shot 43.8 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. More news: Former Lakers Guard Signing in Israel to Continue Career For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.
Two Rivals Emerge as Trade Suitors for Penguins' Erik Karlsson: Report
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been a team that opposing sides have been watching all offseason long. Pittsburgh has a few veteran players who could be on the move via trade, and it could see the front office be very active. With the Penguins in full rebuild mode, the team seems to be looking ahead to the future. One player that has been discussed in different deals is veteran defenseman Erik Karlsson. Karlsson still has two years remaining on his current contract, including this upcoming season. The veteran is owed $11.5 million in each year, so any team that would trade for him would need to take on his high salary. According to NHL insider Shayna Goldman, the options for the Penguins in any potential Karlsson trade have started to dwindle. But the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators were mentioned as potential options to land the star defender. Last season with the Penguins, Karlsson scored 11 goals and 42 assists over 82 games. Karlsson showed impressive production for Pittsburgh, and he could be a valuable asset to any team that would trade for him. At this point in his career, Karlsson likely wants to play for a contending team. Both the Hurricanes and Senators could provide him with this, with both sides making the playoffs last season. Pittsburgh could likely net some strong future assets in any Karlsson deal, giving them more of a path forward. Trading for a player like Karlsson could be risky due to his age, but this could also be a move to help push a team over the hump in the quest to win a Stanley Cup title.
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