MLB Memorial Day check-in: Who is a contender and who is a pretender?

AL East contenders and pretenders

The Tampa Bay Rays are arguably the best team currently in the majors. They are a low-payroll team that continues to make low-risk, high-reward moves that pay off. Manager Kevin Cash is again one of the best in-game managers and decision-makers. They can pitch, hit and play defense, a very good combination to have.

If you have not caught on to the Baltimore Orioles, then it’s time to pay close attention. Catcher Adley Rutschman leads behind the plate and in the lineup, while their hitting and pitching are in the middle of the majors, but they can put up as many runs on a nightly basis as they give up. They did have a tough weekend against the Texas Rangers, losing two out of three after taking two out of three against the New York Yankees and sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays in the last week.

Speaking of the Yankees, they have battled their way through injuries, but they finally did cut ties with the struggling Aaron Hicks. Gerrit Cole has anchored the rotation and is in the early conversation for the AL Cy Young Award, while Aaron Judge is getting hot after hitting 62 home runs last season.

The two wild cards in the division are the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. The Red Sox offense is always going to keep them in games, but there are still questions surrounding their starting rotation and bullpen. The most disappointing team in the division without a doubt is the Blue Jays, who have struggled to put together consistent hitting and pitching.

Contenders: Tampa Bay, Baltimore, and New York

Pretenders: Boston and Toronto

AL Central contenders or pretenders

This is one of the wildest and probably the worst divisions in baseball. There really is no in-between.

The Minnesota Twins have spent most of the season in first place, but how good are they? For instance, the Orioles, who have six more wins than Minnesota, the Yankees, and Red Sox would all be in first place in the division with a better record than the Twins if they were in that division. They’re not, but it gives you an idea of how different the two divisions are.

The Detroit Tigers are just one game under .500, but sitting in second place. A fun young team led by Eduardo Rodriguez on the mound will hang around, but questions remain if they can remain in the hunt long enough to make a move. They have been finding ways to rally to win games and did so Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, rallying for a 6-5 10-inning victory.

Terry Francona’s Cleveland Guardians are fading at Memorial Day Weekend at six games under .500. Last season they pulled away to win the division by 11 games, but this year, unless there is a big turnaround, which there is still time for, the division will be their only way into October baseball. The  White Sox are just six games back but really have shown no signs of turning things around and the Kansas City Royals are still the Royals, in a rebuild that is going to take time.

Contenders: Minnesota

Pretenders: Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, and Kansas City

AL West contenders or pretenders

Over the winter, the Texas Rangers made some signings that told the fanbase that they were going all-in to win and through the first two months, that’s what they’ve done, win.

Nathan Eovaldi is leading the rotation with Jacob deGrom out injured. Offensively they are tied with the Rays with a .271 team average. Adolis Garcia has 14 home runs and third baseman Josh Jung has 11. Eovaldi and Andrew Heaney both have an ERA under 3.00 and both are doing a good job in deGrom’s absence.

The Houston Astros started slow, but the defending World Series champs you knew were going to be heard from and they are. Jose Altuve has returned from his injury after fracturing his thumb in the World Baseball Classic in March. It’s been just six games, but his presence is already being felt in the lineup with Yordan Alveraz. Texas will have their hands full keeping Houston behind them.

One team that is the biggest wild card in this division is the Los Angeles Angels with stars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. It feels like the Angels are wasting Trout’s prime years, but with Ohtani a free agent this upcoming offseason, it feels like this is a win-now team to get into the postseason. Historically they tend to fade after Memorial Day and if they do again this year, it could have a franchise-altering effect going forward. Typical Angels’ they swept the Red Sox at home, then get swept by the Miami Marlins. If you follow them, it’s not a surprise. They’ll still get the benefit of the doubt, for now.

Last season the Seattle Mariners broke out with a young star in Julio Rodriguez and they have rebounded from a slow start and are turning things around. The Oakland Athletics are hands down the worst team again and now are looking forward to moving to Las Vegas down the line. It’s a tough blow for the Bay Area.

Contenders: Texas, Houston, and Los Angeles

Pretenders: Seattle and Oakland

NL East contenders or pretenders

The Atlanta Braves are hands down the class of the division through the first two months. They have been consistent both on the mound and at the plate.

Ronald Acuña, Jr. is pacing the Braves lineup again and is a way-too-early NL MVP candidate. Matt Olson once again is producing and catcher Sean Murphy is turning into one of the best pickups last offseason. Bryce Elder has been very impressive in 10 starts this season for Atlanta, while Spencer Strider is turning into a strikeout machine.

One team that takes one step forward and then two steps back is the New York Mets. Max Scherzer dealt with a 10-game suspension and Justin Verlander is working his back to the rotation and getting stretched out innings-wise, but if the Mets are going to make a run, they are going to need both veterans to be consistent every fifth day. Offensively, it’s either all or nothing, but give them credit, they have battled back in a lot of games recently.

Jorge Solar has the Miami Marlins hanging around with his 17 home runs and he has one in five of his last six games. As always, the question will be, how long can Solar and the Marlins hang around? The Philadelphia Phillies fresh off of their run to the World Series last season have not played up to expectations and the Washington Nationals are like Oakland and Kansas City, in a rebuild that could take some time.

Contenders: Atlanta and New York

Pretenders: Miami, Philadelphia, and Washington

NL Central contenders or pretenders

Like the AL Central, the NL Central is a division where anything is possible after the first two months. The Milwaukee Brewers are currently on top, but they are by no means running away from the division. For instance, the Chicago Cubs are in last place, eight games below .500, but are only 5.5 games out of first place.

The most surprising team in the division is without a doubt the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have been playing well and getting good pitching in the absence of star shortstop Oneil Cruz. Ownership showed a commitment to winning by signing Bryan Reynolds to a long-term contract. Can they keep it up? Through the first two months, they have.

The wild card team in the division is the St. Louis Cardinals, who have turned things around since sweeping the Red Sox in Boston on Mathers Day Weekend. They have crawled out of the basement in the division and are one team in the division that can turn things around quicker than other teams.

The Cubs signed some veterans over the offseason, but have already released one in first baseman Eric Hosmer. Cincinnati Reds are currently the third-place team in the division but don’t be surprised to see them bringing up the rear on the next check-in.

Contenders: Milwaukee and Pittsburgh

Pretenders: Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Chicago

NL West contenders or pretenders

A quick look at the standings and you see the Los Angeles Dodgers on top which is no surprise, however, scroll down a little further and it becomes a head-scratcher. The San Diego Padres, who on paper is arguably one of, if not the best, offensive team in the league five games below .500 and in fourth place, 7.5 games back of Los Angeles.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are a team that looked like they were close to putting things together and so far this season they have. They are 1.5 games behind the Dodgers and broke a three-game losing streak with a 4-0 win over Boston Sunday. After starting the season slowly, the San Francisco Giants have won three out of four and crept back into the division race.

San Diego has struggled without Manny Machado who is expected back soon, but after signing Xander Bogaerts in the offseason and adding Michael Wacha, who has been one of their best pitchers, those two players are one of the reasons why they are not further back of LA. Frenando Tatis, Jr. is back from his suspension and producing at the top of the order, and sooner or later, you have to think they figure things out and turn it around. Expect them to move up at the next check-in or they are going to be in bigger trouble than people think. The Colorado Rockies are bringing up the rear and are expected to finish the season there.

Contenders: Los Angeles, Arizona

Pretenders: San Diego, San Francisco, and Colorado

One-third of the way threw the season, there are certainly some surprises and disappointments. This is the first check-in of the 2023 season for each division and at the next check-in around the All-Star Break, there certainly are going to be some teams that slide down as a contender and some that will slide up from being a pretender. Baseball is a 162-game grind, which is what makes it fun. At winning streak of nine out of 12 games in June or July could do wonders for a team’s outlook.