What a fun first half. We have seen so many fun and interesting story lines. Let’s take a look at the first half MVPs, teams that surprised, and teams that disappointed.
The AL MVP really has one choice. Vladdy JR has been amazing. 28 HR, 73 RBI, hitting 332. He rakes. 9/10 years Vladdy would be the MVP. This is the 1/10. Because Babe Ruth 2.0 is here, and he is great. Shohei Ohtani is the MVP and it is no debate. At the plate he is hitting 279, with a league high 33 HR, and 70 RBI. Pitching, he’s rocking a 3.49 ERA, a 4-1 record, and 87 strike outs. Undoubtedly the AL MVP.
The AL surprise team is my Boston Red Sox. This was a team that was not supposed to be above .500. People had the Sox finishing 4th in the AL East. However, the Sox are 19 games over .500 and has the 2nd best record in the AL. They add Chris Sale back in the 2nd half of the season, and look to make a deep run.
The AL disappointment is the Yankees. This was a World Series favorite. Instead, these losers sit only 3 games above .500, 4th place in the AL East, with only a +1 RD. For a team with such high expectations, these had been so disappointing.
The NL MVP is a little closer than the AL, however I believe there to be a clear cut winner. El Niño Fernando Tatis JR is living up to his contract. 28 dingers, a 286 average, and 60 RBIs. However, the NL MVP is Jacob Degrom. A 1.08 ERA, 7-2 record, and 146 strike outs. The numbers this guy is putting up are historic. And, unlike most pitchers, Degrom hasn’t gotten worse since the spider tak fiasco.
The NL surprise team is 100% the Giants. Out of nowhere. The NL West was supposed to be a Dodgers and Padres battle. However, the Giants lead the division, and all of baseball with a 57-32 record. A team that was supposed to be last in their division is instead looking to win it. The 2nd half of the season will be interesting, and hopefully for the Giants they can keep this up.
In my opinion, the NL disappointment has been the Cardinals. A team playing in what was a wide open division, has not performed. They added Nolan Arenado, but remain 2 games below .500 and 8 games out of 1st place. This team was looking to make a title run, but at this rate, they’ll be lucky to make the playoffs.
