Stock Up, Stock Down: All-Star week, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox

Stock Up: 2023 All-Star Game

As tough of a watch as the home run derby was Monday night, the All-Star Game itself was entertaining Tuesday night with the National League coming out on top for the first time in 11 years with a 3-2 win on the strength of a two-run top of the eighth inning home run from Elias Diaz of the Colorado Rockies.

Diaz’s home run helped the 32-year-old earn MVP honors after his homer off of Felix Bautista of the Baltimore Orioles turned out to be the difference. It has been another tough first half of the season for the Rockies, who are once again stuck in last place of the National League West, but Diaz’s heroism in the Midsummer Classic is something the organization can hang their hat on this season.

Before he became MVP, our own Kevin Henry caught up with Diaz before the All-Star Game.

There was drama in the bottom of the night as Kyle Tucker of the Houston Astros walked with two outs off of Philadelphia Phillies closer Craig Kimbrel to bring the tying run to the plate in Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners. With the home crowd on their feet, the Mariners’ star outfielder drew a second consecutive walk. Kimbrel, however, struck out Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Guardians to end the game and the National League’s losing streak.

If there was one change to the game I would make, it would be to bring back each player wearing their team’s uniforms like in the old days. Watching a player on your come to the plate or the mound in their uniform instead of what they were now had a lot more meaning. Just food for thought.

Stock Down: Mets close first half with two losses

As bad as the first half has been for the New York Mets, things were looking up as they closed out the first half on the West Coast. After sweeping the National League West-leading Arizona Diamondbacks, they opened a key three-game series with the San Diego Padres by rallying for a 7-5 win in 10 innings. For the steps they took forward in the first four games on the trip, they took big steps backward in the final two games at Petco Park.

In Game 2, Blake Snell was dominant for the Padres, striking out 11 in six innings and allowing just one hit in a 3-1 San Diego win. Sunday, the Padres closed out the series by using two home runs from Manny Machado off of Max Scherzer. The New York right-hander allowed six hits, five runs, walked three, and struck out seven in five innings, but it was two pitches to San Diego’s third baseman that was the difference in a 6-2 loss. Joe Musgrove was dealing for the Friars, scattering three hits and sticking out seven of his own in six innings.

The Mets return home to kick off the second half with three games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and three against the White Sox. New York’s only path to the postseason because of their first-half struggles is one of the three Wild Card spots and they are currently seven games back and needing to jump four teams to get into the playoffs. That’s not what they had envisioned when the season began.

Right now, the Mets would be buyers at the deadline. However, a tough start to the second half of the season could change their plans and they could begin to sell off some pieces that they are not counting on having in 2024.

Stock Up: Boston Red Sox making a playoff push to close first half

One of the more up-and-down teams in the first half of the season has been the Boston Red Sox. They play well against the top teams in the league, winning all seven games against the Toronto Blue Jays and sweeping the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. Then they get swept at home by the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals. Go figure.

Manager Alex Cora has done wonders with a Red Sox roster that lost a lot of talent from the 2022 season and lost Chris Sale to an injury in early June and he is currently on the 60-day IL. Opening Day starter Corey Kluber has been a disaster and finds himself on the IL too. Despite all of that, they are five games over .500 at 48-43 and two games back for the final Wild Card spot in the American League.

The Red Sox won the final two games against the American League West-leading Texas Rangers before sweeping the Oakland Athletics to close the first half on a five-game winning streak. They have been getting good pitching, mainly from youngster Brayan Bello who is showing signs of turning into a future top-of-the-rotation ace. Their hitting is coming around and Justin Turner has been a very good addition to the middle of the lineup and Kenley Jansen has been money as the closer.

The big question is whether or not the Red Sox can keep this going after the break. They certainly have the schedule to do it with three games against the Chicago Cubs and a trip to Oakland. There is still time for them to make a move and force GM Chaim Bloom to be a buyer, not a seller, at the trade deadline.