While the Astros, Yankees and Nationals remain atop their respective divisions, a look at the full MLB standings shows the Blue Jays, Royals and Rangers aren’t dead yet.
It’s difficult to imagine a rougher way to start the season. On April 18, the Toronto Blue Jays fell to 2-11, and dropped 6.5 games out of first place in the AL East. However, the Blue Jays are 15-11 since, and won seven of eight games heading into Wednesday to climb back to within 6.5 games in the division and sat just four games out in the AL Wild Card race.
A loss to the lowly Atlanta Braves Monday was a step back, but it can’t spoil a good run – especially with big names like Josh Donaldson, Tory Tulowitzki and J.A. Happ still on the disabled list. If the Blue Jays can finally get healthy, Toronto will have an opportunity to make things very interesting.
Elsewhere in the AL, the Royals closed the first month of the season with nine consecutive losses. Plagued by an anemic offense, Kansas City sat in last place in the Central with a 7-16 record – 6.5 games out of first. In the month of May, KC is 9-5, and is fresh off a three-game sweep of the AL Wild Card leading Orioles – the club’s has won six of its last seven games.
The Texas Rangers are also hot following a terrible start. Riddled with bullpen issues in April, and sitting in last place in the AL West with a 13-20 record less than a week ago, the Rangers have won six in a row – the longest active winning streak in the majors. Texas is still eight games back in the division, but the club has climbed to second place in the West, and now sit a mere two games out in the Wild Card hunt.
Left for dead after the first two weeks of the season, at the end of April, and as recently as the beginning of last week, the Blue Jays, Royals and Rangers, respectively, are all showing signs of life in the American League.
Where do they fall in this week’s MLB standings? We recap the week for all 30 teams.
American League East
New York Yankees (22-13, .629, – GB)
Last Week: 1-1 at Reds, 1-2 vs. Astros
- Home Record: 13-6
- Road Record: 9-7
- Runs Scored: 201
- Runs Allowed: 148
- Run Differential: +53
- Streak: Lost 1
- Last 10: 6-4
Next Week: May 16-18 at Royals, May 19-21 at Rays
Baltimore Orioles (22-14, .611, 0.5 GB)
Last Week: 2-1 vs. Nationals, 1-0 at Nationals, 0-3 at Royals
- Home Record: 13-3
- Road Record: 9-11
- Runs Scored: 162
- Runs Allowed: 152
- Run Differential: +10
- Streak: Lost 4
- Last 10: 6-4
Next Week: May 16-18 at Tigers, May 19-21 vs. Blue Jays
Boston Red Sox (19-18, .514, 4 GB)
Last Week: 1-2 at Brewers, 1-2 vs. Rays
- Home Record: 12-9
- Road Record: 7-9
- Runs Scored: 165
- Runs Allowed: 159
- Run Differential: +6
- Streak: Lost 1
- Last 10: 4-6
Next Week: May 16-17 at Cardinals, May 18-21 at Athletics
Tampa Bay Rays (19-22, .463, 6 GB)
Last Week: 1-3 vs. Royals, 2-1 at Red Sox
- Home Record: 12-10
- Road Record: 7-12
- Runs Scored: 187
- Runs Allowed: 175
- Run Differential: +12
- Streak: Lost 1
- Last 10: 4-6
Next Week: May 15-17 at Indians, May 19-21 vs. Yankees
Toronto Blue Jays (17-22, .436, 7 GB)
Last Week: 1-2 vs. Indians, 4-0 vs. Mariners
- Home Record: 10-10
- Road Record: 7-12
- Runs Scored: 157
- Runs Allowed: 172
- Run Differential: -15
- Streak: Lost 1
- Last 10: 7-3
Next Week: May 15-16 vs. Braves, May 17-18 at Braves, May 19-21 at Orioles
The story of the week was the Yankees retiring Derek Jeter’s No. 2 jersey number, but New York also became the first American League team to score 200 runs this season. The Yankees lead the junior circuit with a plus-53 run differential. However, the club lost its first series since April 7-9 after dropping three of four to the Astros at Yankee Stadium over the weekend. Masahiro Tanaka was hit hard twice, having surrendered 10 hits and four runs in seven innings at Cincinnati May 8 before allowing eight earned runs in just 1.2 innings Sunday against Houston.
Perhaps the strangest thing that happened in the last seven days, the then-first place Baltimore Orioles traveled to Kansas City where the then-worst team in the American League Royals swept them. Having now lost four games in a row, the Orioles have doubled their longest previous losing streak this season.
The Red Sox lost back-to-back series last week against less than premium competition. The Rays exploded for a seven-run ninth inning Sunday to put the exclamation mark on a disappointing week. However, the bright spot was Mookie Betts, who won AL Player of the Week honors after hitting .375/.483/.917 with three home runs and a major league leading 11 RBI and eight runs scored. Also, Chris Sale struck out 12 in Saturday’s victory over the Rays.
Tampa Bay got off to a rough start to the week by losing three out of four games at home against the Royals, though Chris Archer was outstanding in the Rays’ lone win against KC. Archer tossed eight scoreless innings and allowed just five hits and one hit batter with 11 strikeouts to pick up the win, but he was on the losing end Monday after allowing seven runs (six earned) in five innings against Cleveland.
Don’t look now, but the Blue Jays are heating up. Winners of five straight games and seven of nine, heading into Monday’s game with Atlanta (a 10-6 loss) Toronto has climbed into the Wild Card race. Jose Bautista hit three home runs and drove in eight runs in seven games last week, and Justin Smoak added eight RBI while hitting .333/.429/.625 with two homers. Joe Biagini joined familiar names Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada, Roberto Osuna and Aaron Sanchez leading the pitching staff.