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MLB Standings: Giants, Blue Jays struggle; Twins and Diamondbacks surge

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Apr 2, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder A.J. Pollock celebrates after hitting a two run home run in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants during opening day at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder A.J. Pollock celebrates after hitting a two run home run in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants during opening day at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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The MLB standings offer plenty of surprises following the first week of the 2017 season.

The first week of the MLB season is in the books, and like any opening week in any season, there are plenty of surprises in the standings.

The Texas Rangers are the two-time defending AL West champions. The Seattle Mariners are expected to be one of the top contenders to thwart a three-peat. However, both squads slumped out of the gates and find themselves looking up in the standings to the… Angels?

In Minnesota, the Twins are coming off a train wreck 2016 season in which they posted the worst record in baseball, yet the club won four straight to begin 2017. The Red Sox were bitten by the flu bug, which allowed the Orioles to jump out to an early lead in the East – though the Blue Jays have no such excuse and finished 1-5.

In the National League, the defending World Series champion Cubs are atop the Central division, but the surprising Cincinnati Reds are step in step. In the West, the Arizona Diamondbacks began a great week with a walk off victory over the Giants, and the D-Backs ended the week with more wins than anyone else in baseball. San Francisco slumped to a 2-5 start, and no NL club lost more last week.

There’s a long way to go, but there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic about the strong starts in Arizona, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Los Angeles, while there is some cause for concern in Seattle, Toronto and San Francisco.

Apr 5, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Dylan Bundy (37) throws a pitch during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 5, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Dylan Bundy (37) throws a pitch during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

American League East

1. Baltimore Orioles (4-1, .800, – GB)

Last Week: 2-0 vs. Blue Jays, 2-1 vs. Yankees

  • Home Record: 4-1
  • Road Record: 0-0
  • Runs Scored: 20
  • Runs Allowed: 19
  • Run Differential: +1
  • Streak: Lost 1
  • Last 10: 4-1

2. Tampa Bay Rays (5-2, .714, – GB)

Last Week: 2-1 vs. Yankees, 3-1 vs. Blue Jays

  • Home Record: 5-2
  • Road Record: 0-0
  • Runs Scored: 33
  • Runs Allowed: 26
  • Run Differential: +7
  • Streak: Won 3
  • Last 10: 5-2

3. Boston Red Sox (3-2, .600, 1 GB)

Last Week: 2-0 vs. Pirates, 1-2 at Tigers

  • Home Record: 2-1
  • Road Record: 1-2
  • Runs Scored: 21
  • Runs Allowed: 18
  • Run Differential: +3
  • Streak: Won 1
  • Last 10: 3-2

4. New York Yankees (2-4, .333, 1.5 GB)

Last Week: 1-2 at Rays, 1-2 at Orioles

  • Home Record: 0-0
  • Road Record: 2-4
  • Runs Scored: 25
  • Runs Allowed: 25
  • Run Differential: 0
  • Streak: Won 1
  • Last 10: 2-4

5. Toronto Blue Jays (1-5, .167, 3.5 GB)

Last Week: 0-2 at Orioles, 1-3 at Rays

  • Home Record: 0-0
  • Road Record: 1-5
  • Runs Scored: 20
  • Runs Allowed: 28
  • Run Differential: -8
  • Streak: Lost 3
  • Last 10: 1-5

The Orioles are up to their old tricks already in 2017. Baltimore’s 3-2 victory over Toronto on Opening Day was vintage O’s. Following a so-so start from Kevin Gausman, the bullpen held the Blue Jays down for 5.2 innings – including two innings from closer Zach Britton with the game hanging in the balance – and Mark Trumbo hit the first Opening Day walk-off home run in club history.

Baltimore also got an outstanding start from Dylan Bundy in Game 2, and took a pair of one-run wins in the first two games against the Yankees. Five games to open the season against AL East rivals, and four wins? A strong start.

The Rays opened the season hosting the Yankees at Tropicana Field, and picked up their first series win with a 7-3 victory on Opening Day and a 4-1 win in Game 3. Tampa Bay then hosted the Blue Jays and took three of four.

Chris Archer was outstanding in two starts. The righty picked up his first win of the season, and posted a 2.45 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 14.2 innings. Offensively, Evan Longoria and Corey Dickerson each hit two homers, and Steven Souza Jr. led the team with a .417 batting average and six RBI.

The big story heading into the week for the Red Sox was newcomer Chris Sale making his debut with the club – and the lefty did not disappoint. Sale tossed seven shutout innings against the Pirates, and allowed just three hits and one walk while striking out seven.

However, as the week progressed, the flu bug hit and several players, including Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez, were forced out of action. With a limited squad, the Red Sox dropped two out of three in Detroit against the Tigers.

The Yankees got off to a rough start in 2017 by dropping two of three from last year’s AL East cellar dwellers. New York lost the first two games of the season’s second series in Baltimore, but used a four-run ninth inning Sunday to take the final game 7-4.

Overall, it was a roller coaster week for the Yankees. Matt Holliday recorded his 2,000th career hit, though Gary Sanchez landed on the disabled list.

Expected to contend for the division title this season, Toronto had an opportunity to make some noise in the first week against AL East rivals Baltimore and Tampa Bay. The Blue Jays were swept on the road by the Orioles, then lost three in a row in St. Petersburg after taking Game 1 of the four-game set. A lack of offense was the primary culprit as the Jays hit .217 with only three home runs across the first six games.

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