Top 10 Teams After the MLB All Star Break

10. San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres have had an unpredictable year so far, as after getting off to a rough start, they are finding the ground necessary to stage a second-half comeback as they have a variety of batters like Tatis Jr., Machado, and Soto starting to play extremely well and having one of the best pitching rooms in the league which is currently top five in the association for runs allowed. Their lead pitcher is Blake Snell, who has the second-lowest ERA in the entire association and is top three in strikeouts per game. The Padres are a loaded roster that now can prove fans and critics wrong as they make a serious playoff push in the NL West.

9. Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are a team that has recently been on the rise, as they are one of the highest-scoring teams in the league, especially since Yoshida and Turner have been extremely consistent for them, and Rafael Devers continues to be one of the league's best hitters and Verdugo leads the team in WAR. Also, Jansen has been one of the best closers in the league this season, and Bello has been a good starter for them as well. The Red Sox will quickly improve their record and look like a dangerous team in the AL if they enter the playoffs.

8. San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have had a very solid season so far, with Wade Jr. and Estrada being their most efficient batters and Davis and Conforto leading the team in home runs. Even though their batting room looks good, their main forte is their pitching with Webb and Cobb being one of the best pitching duos in the league and Webb being the most featured pitcher in the association, throwing 133 innings for the Giants this year. Doval currently leads the association in saves, and his impact on the team as a closer has been just as crucial. The Giants are one of the league's most balanced teams, and they can make a steady entrance into the playoffs.

7. Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays continue to build upon their high-powered offense led by the trio of Bichette, Chapman, and Guerrero Jr. Although Guerrero Jr. had had a down year, his play is starting to improve since the All-Star Weekend, and perhaps the Bluejays may be able to increase their position in the AL East and the Playoff Picture. Additionally, Bichette has one of the highest batting averages in the association and is the association’s most featured batter, taking part in 413 plate appearances for the Blue Jays this season. On the pitching end, Gausman has one of the lowest ERAs and one of the top five strikeout rates in the league, and Romano is as good of a closer as there is in the association, currently top three in the association for saves. The Blue Jays are stronger than last year and will be fierce competitors in the Playoffs for the AL.

6. Houston Astros

The Astros took a step back since their World Series Win last season but are gradually building up steam heading into the playoffs. Alvarez, Tucker, and Bregman are their lead batters and have been playing as well as any batting trio in the league. Pitching Wise, the Astros have one of the best Pitching rooms in the league with Valdez being one of the association's most featured pitchers and having one of the lowest ERAs in the league and Pressly has been one of the leagues better closers this season. The Astros are also a top-ten team in scoring and defense this season. Therefore, expect them to compete fiercely with the Rangers for the AL West and to make a major comeback during the Playoffs.

5. Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles have been baseball’s biggest breakout team this season, especially since Rutschman and Henderson have been playing extremely well down the stretch, and Santander currently leads the team in home runs. The Orioles are one of the better scoring teams in the league, and they have a good pitching room, highlighted by closers Bautista and Cano, who have been electric for them this season. Bautista has an insane 0.96 ERA, the lowest in the association for closers. Therefore, as their batting and pitching continue to improve, the Orioles will continue to be a force in the AL playoff pictures in the weeks leading up to October.

4.  Texas Rangers

The Rangers have improved significantly from last season and are currently the highest-scoring team in baseball right now, as they are led by a loaded batting room led by Garcia, who leads the association in Runs Batted In, Semien, Heim, and Seager, who has the association’s second-highest WAR. The Rangers currently led the league in Batting Average, Hits, and Run Batted In, along with numerous other offense-based categories. On the pitching end, they are led by Eovaldi, who has the league’s third-lowest ERA, and Dunning and Gray have very low ERAs. Smith is the team’s established closer and has played well throughout the season. Although this team has lost some steam recently, they are still looking to make a deep run in the AL during the playoffs. 

3. Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays had an extremely hot start to the season, and although they have slowed down in recent weeks, they are still looking like the team to beat in the AL right now. The Rays have a formidable batting room led by Diaz, who is fourth in the association for batting average, Arozarena who leads the team in Runs Batted in, Paredes, and Franco, who is fourth in the association for stolen bases and leads the team in WAR. The Rays also have a strong pitching room led by McLanahan, who has a 2.56 ERA which leads the entire association, and Eflin, who also has one of the lowest ERAs in baseball. The Rays also have the association’s lowest-scoring defense and lowest ERA and one of the highest-scoring teams in baseball. Therefore, the Rays are still a very serious title contender in baseball and have a strong roster to support their case. 

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are the most ferocious offense in baseball right now, as their batting room is led by the trio of Freeman, who has the association’s third-highest batting average, Betts, who has the association’s fourth-most home runs, and Smith, along with Martinez who has one of the highest Runs Batted In numbers in the association. Additionally, The Dodgers are the third highest-scoring team in baseball and are top three in the association for both Home Runs and Runs Batted In. Their pitching room doesn’t offer much outside of Kershaw, who has carried this sector of the team throughout the season. The Dodgers are an experienced team looking to compete for the World Series in October, making them a real team to watch during the playoffs.

1.     Atlanta Braves

The Braves have been the association's most well-rounded team throughout the season. They are mainly led by Acuna, who is second in the association in batting average and leads the association in stolen bases with 44 and WAR with 5.0, Murphy, and Olson, who is second in the association for home runs with 32 and leads the association in Runs Batted In with 80. Their pitching room has the strongest one-two punch in baseball with Strider, who leads the association in strikeouts with 14.1 per game, Elder, who leads the team in ERA with 3.31, and Morton, who has a 3.36 ERA. This season, The Braves Roster included 8 All-Star Players and are currently top three in the association for scoring and defense. Therefore, the Braves are an extremely dynamic team that has all the tools necessary to reach the World Series, but with baseball being an unpredictable sport, anything can happen in October.