MLB Postseason Contenders or Pretenders?
It’s now May and several Major League Baseball teams are off to unexpected strong starts. Who is an MLB postseason contender, and who is a pretender?
As usual, the Major League Baseball standings in early May don’t quite match up with those we predicted towards the end of Spring Training.
Sure, the Cardinals and Dodgers are already atop their divisions and the Royals and Tigers are duking it out in the American League Central. Yes, we expected the Phillies to be in last place as well as the Brewers, Diamondbacks and Rockies. The White Sox show promise, but they too are unlikely to make noise in the postseason race.
However, others like the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals – all considered contenders in March – are off to disappointing starts. Expect those six squads to rebound and compete for a playoff spot.
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The Blue Jays, Orioles, and Red Sox have been hovering around .500 in the AL East, as have the Angels in the West, and all should be considered contenders until further notice. The same can be said for the defending World Champion Giants in the NL West and the Cincinnati Reds in the Central. The Braves and Marlins, on the other hand, are clearly pretenders.
But what about the surprising division leaders, the Houston Astros, New York Mets or New York Yankees? The surging Minnesota Twins? The new look Padres, Cubs and Rays?
Several teams off to surprisingly strong starts should be analyzed more closely to determine whether or not they are full-fledged MLB postseason contenders or are destined to fall out of the playoff race. Let’s take a look.
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