Every day, Pinstripe Alley offers updates on what the Yankees’ top American League opponents are up to through the Rivalry Roundup. The AL East is well-trodden ground there, but with the month of July coming to a close, we’re going to take a peek around MLB as a whole and check in with each of the other five divisions. Who’s surprising? Who’s underwhelming? Who’s simply mediocre at the moment? Read on and find out.
First Place: Houston Astros (56-52)
Top Position Player: Kyle Tucker (3.1 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Framber Valdez (2.0 fWAR)
What a difference a month and a half can make. On June 18th, after getting shut out by Jonathan Cannon and the White Sox, the Astros fell to 33-40. At 10 games back in the West, it looked like Houston’s era of dominance was finally over. Pundits were carving up potential trade pieces (Alex Bregman? Framber Valdez?) that they might be compelled to move at the deadline.
Instead, as they’ve done so often, the Astros meticulously and mercilessly worked their way back to the front of the pack. They’ve gone 23-12 since their nadir, capping off their turnaround with a deadline that saw them add Yusei Kikuchi to their rotation — albeit at a notable cost. Houston’s core continues to dominate, and this success has come without much help from injured starters like Justin Verlander, Luis Garcia, and gone-for-the-season Cristian Javier. The AL West clearly still goes through Houston.
Second Place: Seattle Mariners (57-53)
Top Position Player: Cal Raleigh (2.9 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: George Kirby (4.1 fWAR)
It’s been a familiar refrain for the Mariners all season: elite pitching, abysmal offense. They lead MLB in ERA (3.46), but only the cellar-dwelling Marlins and White Sox have scored fewer runs. Offseason acquisitions Mitch Garver, Mitch Haniger, and Jorge Polanco have been complete duds, while Julio Rodríguez underperformed with the bat before landing on the IL with an ankle injury.
But the rotation, led by ace George Kirby but truly five-deep, has kept them in the hunt. In advance of the deadline, Seattle upgraded their lineup, adding now-former Yankees division foes Randy Arozarena and Justin Turner while moving on from Ty France. They also added some firepower in the form of Yimi García and JT Chargois to a bullpen that’s ranked fifth in the AL in ERA and seventh in WAR. The big question: will it be enough to keep pace with the surging Astros and lurking Rangers? If their rotation stays healthy and the new additions can properly spark the oft-lifeless lineup, it just might be.
Third Place: Texas Rangers (52-57)
Top Position Player: Josh Smith (3.2 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Jon Gray (2.2 fWAR)
The defending champs entered 2024 with high expectations. But the injury bug has ravaged their veteran roster and well-regarded rookies Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter have floundered as the Rangers have struggled to stay afloat. The latter is likely out for the rest of 2024, too.
However, despite reports that GM Chris Young might tear it all down, he instead softly retooled, trading veteran starter Michael Lorenzen but bringing in catcher Carson Kelly and lefty bullpen arm Andrew Chafin. He’s wagering that a healthier second half from the likes of third baseman Josh Jung — who was activated off the IL Monday — and aging aces Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom will give Texas an edge in what is still a winnable AL West.
Fourth Place: Los Angeles Angels (47-61)
Top Position Player: Logan O’Hoppe (2.2 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Tyler Anderson (1.7 fWAR)
What, exactly, are the Angels thinking? It’s no surprise that, with the loss of Shohei Ohtani to their crosstown rivals and Mike Trout to injury, the Angels have failed to compete this year. What is surprising is their lackadaisical approach to the trade deadline. LA moved two veteran relievers, Carlos Estévez and Luis García, and at least got a better-than-expected return from Philly for the former. But a host of other players expected to be moved (starter Tyler Anderson, outfielders Taylor Ward and Kevin Pillar, infielders Luis Rengifo and Brandon Drury) were retained. It was the latest in a long line of missed opportunities for the Angels’ front office, and one that sets back their timeline. Although GM Perry Minasian will get some heat, it’s hard not to side-eye the man behind the whole operation, owner Arte Moreno.
Last Place: Oakland Athletics (45-65)
Top Position Player: Brent Rooker (3.5 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Mason Miller (1.8 fWAR)
After a respectable opening to the season, the A’s have returned to their familiar perch in the cellar. Outside of a bullpen that has quietly been one of the best in baseball and Brent Rooker’s .954 OPS, the team has continued to look thin across the board. At the deadline, Oakland traded from its bullpen strength, moving Lucas Erceg, and shipped off veteran starter Paul Blackburn after eight years with the club. But it held onto Rooker and phenom closer Mason Miller, forgoing the type of flashy deadline rebuild that the Marlins pulled off (though Miller’s unfortunate injury played a role). With three years in Sacramento on the horizon, the A’s are likely to remain in a holding pattern until their permanent home in Las Vegas is ready.
