The unofficial first half of the 2023 season is in the books and the All-Star Game in Seattle is in the books as well. It’s time for all teams to turn their attention to the second half of the season.
The trade deadline is three weeks away and in the next couple of weeks, several teams are going to have to decide if they are going to be buyers, or sellers or just stay in the middle and do nothing.
That decision has been made for some teams who are going to all-in to win the World Series and service the gauntlet that is the postseason. Some teams stuck in the middle will have their next two weeks help them decide. It’s not as easy a decision for some as you would think.
The San Diego Padres and New York Mets have been two of the biggest disappointments of the first half and both need a strong second half, as well as some of the teams ahead of them in the standings to take a step back. It feels like a lot has to happen in a short amount of time.
There have been some pleasant surprises as it looks like a two-team race in the National League Central between the upstart Cincinnati Reds and young star Elly De La Cruz and the Milwaukee Brewers. The American League Central could very well come down to whichever team finishes .500 or better.