Five surprises during the first month of the 2017 MLB season

6 of 6

Apr 28, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon (19) celebrates after closing out the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /

As the calendar turns to May, what were five surprises during the first month of the 2017 MLB season?

Well, we have hit May. The weather is going to turn (yes that includes Denver, even with your snowstorm this past weekend. Hang with ’em). MLB teams are going to start to put themselves into positions to either buy or sell during what could be a quite active trade deadline with all of the changes that came about with the new CBA.

During every first month of the season, you try to get the lay of the land and see what you need. Do you need a big bat or an arm or two? Can you call up a top prospect to fill a void?

More from Call to the Pen

During this first month of the 2017 MLB season, we have seen a couple of cycles, a couple of three homer games, a player already pass his entire RBI total for last season in which he played in 75 games, and a team hit back to back to back homers in the ninth inning to tie a game, a 10 RBI game and a nine run comeback.

We’ve seen teams take advantage of the 10 day DL (well except for the Mets). We’ve seen powerful performances from unexpected sources and young players get comfortable and make names for themselves.

This month should set the stage for an exciting summer ahead. What were the top five surprises of the season so far? Who are five players or teams that are shocking the game? Let’s take a look.

Apr 30, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Daniel Descalso is doused with gatorade after hitting a walk off home run in the thirteenth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The NL West

Before the season started, if you were to tell me the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies were the top dogs in the NL West and the San Francisco Giants would have the worst record in the National League, I would tell you to stay away from Vegas.

Let’s start with the 9-17 Giants. The Giants, who have seen two of their starting three outfielders get injured, along with their starting shortstop in Brandon Crawford, and oh yeah, Madison Bumgarner being out until around July because he thought it would be a good idea to go dirt biking on an off day. At least the Bay Area has the Warriors until June.

On a positive note, the Diamondbacks and Rockies are off to great starts.

The Rockies have been led by young pitching like that of Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela, along with a revamped bullpen that includes a healthy Adam Ottavino and free agent pickups Greg Holland and Mike Dunn who was excellent before being put on the DL.

The Diamondbacks are being led by a very productive lineup with Chris Owings off to a great start and A.J. Pollock finally healthy and patrolling the outfield.

Can each squad keep it going is the big question.

Apr 28, 2017; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) follows through on a two run home run against the Baltimore Orioles during the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

New York Yankees and New York Mets

If I were to tell you after the first month that one New York team would be in last in their division, and one tied for first and the best record in their league, you probably would have said the Mets in first and the Yankees in last.

Like George Costanza should have done for most of his life, go with the opposite.

The Yankees have had a different player step up every night it seems and that’s with Didi Gregorius just coming back from injury and Gary Sanchez being out since the year’s opening weekend.

Aaron Judge has made the necessary adjustments in his game and became the third rookie to hit 10 homers in April in major league history. Starlin Castro and Chase Headley are also off to excellent starts offensively.

On the pitching front, Luis Severino‘s off-season work on his changeup with Pedro Martinez certainly has looked like it’s helped along with some consistency from the enigmatic Michael Pineda.

In Queens, they got off to a good start, but the injury bug has continued to bite the Mets. Seth Lugo, Steven Matz, David Wright, Brandon Nimmo, Yoenis Cespedes, Wilmer Flores and Lucas Duda are all on the DL. Noah Syndergaard left his start Sunday with a lat issue after refusing to get an MRI during the week on his bicep. At least Michael Conforto is crushing it so far.

Ryan Zimmerman

When Ryan Zimmerman came up, he was the lead attraction on an awful Washington Nationals club. The Nationals were just beginning in DC and needed a face of the franchise. He was one of the best at the hot corner, making an All-Star team and winning a Gold Glove.

He got a big contract extension too.

More from Call to the Pen

Then came the injury problems, the issues fielding and the move across the diamond to first base. It also came with offensive struggles, with Zimmerman bottoming out last season, hitting just .218 with a .642 OPS.

This off-season, Zimmerman worked on his launch angle with the help of teammate Daniel Murphy and hitting coach Rick Schu. Zimmerman had the 14th best exit velocity last year and still hit just .218. With an improved launch angle, the thinking is that improved results will follow.

The results have Zimmerman winning the NL Triple Crown if the season were to end right now. Zimmerman is hitting .410/.456/.892 with 11 homers and 27 RBI on a Nationals team that is the top dog in the National League race.

A revitalized Zimmerman with Murphy and Bryce Harper could be exactly what the Nationals need to finally win a playoff series this season.

Eric Thames

One of the best stories of the first month of the 2017 MLB season is Brewers slugger Eric Thames. By now you know the story of Thames leaving MLB for Korea after the 2012 season and signing a four year deal with the rebuilding Brewers this off-season.

Thames finished his first month back in the US with a .350/.475/.838 slash line, along with 11 homers and 19 RBI. He’s also beaten up on the Cincinnati Reds, hitting .440 with eight homers and 13 RBI against them this season, though he’ll have to wait nearly two months to pad his stats since the Brewers and Reds don’t face each other again until June 27.

Everyone thought the Brewers were crazy for non-tendering Chris Carter, who lead the NL in homers last season and instead signing Thames to play first base.

Carter struggled to find a deal in the off-season and took a one year deal with the Yankees for less than he would have made in arbitration and has struggled to start the season.

Meanwhile, Thames was one of the faces of baseball during it’s first month. Not a bad move for the Brewers.

Ervin Santana

The Minnesota Twins finished the season’s first month with a record above .500. Not bad for a team that will have the number one pick in the upcoming amateur draft. One of the big reasons they have gotten off to a solid start is due to the pitching of their ace, and possible future trade chip this summer in Ervin Santana.

Santana has started off this season 4-0 with an AL leading 0.77 ERA and 0.657 WHIP. On April 15, Santana threw a complete game, one-hit shutout of the Chicago White Sox.

Santana pitched better than his 7-11 record indicated last season. He had a 3.38 ERA with an increased K/9 ratio from 2015.

He is set to make $13.5 million next year with a $14 million team option for 2019. With the cost of free agent arms, Santana could prove to be a bargain for that cost, if he continues to be a solid contributor.

Next: Mets lacking faith in Familia?

Will all of these surprises hold up during the long haul of a MLB season? Maybe. Maybe not. That’s what makes baseball fun though. This first month has been a fun watch and I’m sure the rest of the season should be as well.

Home / MLB News