Around the League

Around the League: Thoughts from the Mind of an Avid Baseball Guy

By Mike Carreiro

Hi there Top Fan Rivalry followers! I hope everyone enjoyed the All Star Break and is ready for the 2nd half of the season to start. I also hope we all enjoy the upcoming trade deadline and that you are happy with the moves your team does or doesn’t make.

I’m not gonna start this article by dwelling on the fact that the Red Sox have started the 2nd half by dropping 4 of the first 5 and have fallen out of the Wild Card for the moment. Nope, not gonna do that!

But what I will talk about is how this team that I’ve told you to keep an eye on all season, that wasn’t supposed to accomplish anything, is continuing to turn heads up here in Boston and we are all ready for the Dog Days and this absolutely BRUTAL schedule the Sox have over the next few weeks. I’ll keep a running tally on their record, as they face off with the Yankees, Texas, Baltimore, Seattle and Houston (twice.) This will be the make or break part of their season. Will they add the bullpen arms they need at the deadline? That’s the biggest question.

But, it’s not just the Red Sox in baseball, so let’s see what else is going on around the league.

Jr. MVP?

We are back touting the skills of one Bobby Witt Jr. as he continues to make his case for AL MVP this season. Not that it counts towards the actual MVP, but his performance in the Home Run Derby over the All Star Weekend really put his name into the mainstream, if it wasn’t there already. Along with names like Judge, Ohtani, Harper, Trout and Acuna, Witt Jr. will be a very special player in this league long term.

He is hitting an astonishing .340 at this point in the season, that’s 138 hits, 18 of those being HR’s, 70 RBI’s and 80 Runs Scored. He is on a torrid pace this season, compared to Judge’s .309 average, Soto’s .308 and even Gunnar Henderson’s .287. Without Witt on the Royals, the team would not be in the Wild Card Mix, where as without Judge there’s Soto and vice versa for the Yankees. Witt is the true MOST Valuable Player in the AL!

How About This Kid!!

Waaaaayyy back in early May I told you all that Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Paul Skenes was gonna be one not to miss. And since his call up in mid-May all he’s done is impress! 

Sporting one of the most stylish Mustaches in the game currently, Skenes has put together a no doubter rookie campaign. In 12 starts he has a 6-1 record, with a 1.93 ERA, a .87 WHIP, and a 97:13 K:BB ratio. 

Not only has he been dominant on the mound, but he is also learning how to be a smart MLB level pitcher. He works well with his catcher, creating the proper game plan and understands how to change things up depending on the team and line-up he is facing! This works out so well, that he was able to diagnose the recent strategy of the St. Louis Cardinals and took his game into the 9th inning for the 1st time during the Tuesday 7/23 matchup, needing only 91 pitches to reach the 9th frame.

He has captivated the city of Pittsburgh with his electric performances, and Pirates fans are voicing their opinion of Skenes with chants. Not only calling for the red hot rookie to win the NL ROY, but also with chants of MVP!! 

After so many #1 prospects have failed to live up to their hype over the past few seasons, Skenes is! And I’m sure he will continue to be a big piece of the exciting young talent emerging all over the league!

I can’t wait to see what the rest of this season brings. It’s been an unexpectedly exciting one so far and with so many teams still in the hunt and still in contention for the playoffs, with the Trade deadline looming, what will we see. 

Come on back next week, and we will recap all the biggest moves (and some of the not so big ones) from he 2024 MLB Trade Deadline!!

Note: I had this article all written and ready to publish, and then the Red Sox went and signed Alex Cora to a 3 year contract extension.

After radio silence on the manager’s contract situation for the better part of the year, a unique visit to Colorado by General Manager Craig Breslow, raised eyebrows and caught the attention of the national baseball media. Reports started trickling in that Cora and the Red Sox were CLOSE to announcing an extension. Some 45 minutes later those reports changed to sources saying the deal was done!

What this means for the Red Sox going forward in the 2024 season? Even after the 1-5 road trip to start the 2nd half, an agreement between Cora and the Red Sox likely means that Upper Management and Ownership believe in this team and are ready to commit to a post season push.

What this means for the upcoming Trade Deadline is still to be determined, but we know the Red Sox are trying to bolster this roster for a long run but adding (back) the recently DFA’d James Paxton.