The unofficial first half of the 2023 season ended on Sunday, and now MLB breaks for the All-Star Break in Seattle. There have been plenty of storylines (both positive and negative) through the first 90-plus games each team has played.
Domingo German of the New York Yankees threw a perfect game on June 28 against the Oakland Athletics in an 11-0 win. On July 8, the Detroit Tigers got a combined no-hitter from three pitches in a 2-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. German also made news earlier in the season when he served a 10-game suspension, as did Max Scherzer of the New York Mets, for being thrown out of a game for failing a substance check by umpires.
Along with the storylines, there have been teams playing better than they were expected to when the season began back in March, and some that have struggled. The Tampa Bay Rays have been the best team in the American League. However, they closed out the final week heading into the break losing seven of eight games. In the National League, the Atlanta Braves have been setting the pace not only in the NL, but also all of MLB and enter the break with a league-best 60-29 record.
Injuries have also played a part in the first three months, as they always do and they have played a part in some teams’ struggles. In the American League Central and National League Central, surviving the first half has set teams up to have a strong second half and they can get into the postseason as a division winner.
With all of that said, here are five teams that have disappointed through the first three-plus months of 2023.