May 11th, 2023 Week 6: MLB News and Rankings

Another week is in the books as the MLB season starts to ramp up! Impressive starts from fan-favorite teams and players have made for a fast pace season... oh yeah, and a reduced pitch clock. What are your thoughts so far on the reduced playtime? Personally, I am a fan.  

1. Shohei Ohtani has continued to amaze with his impressive two-way abilities. Ohtani has been dominant on the mound, allowing just 16 hits and recording an AL-leading 59 strikeouts while posting a 2.54 ERA over 39 innings. At the plate, he has also been a force, slashing .301/.369/.526 with seven homers and 22 RBIs, helping the Los Angeles Angels to a solid 20-16 record and putting them in contention for the AL West title.
2. Matt Chapman, who had a hot start to the season, leading the league in batting average (.349) with 17 doubles, five homers, 21 RBIs, and a 1.037 OPS. Though he cooled off a bit in May, his early-season success is still fresh in the minds of many voters.
3. Mike Trout, a three-time AL MVP, is also in the conversation despite a relatively "down" year by his standards. With a .919 OPS, Trout is still producing at a high level and could easily climb back up the rankings if he continues to perform.

1. Ronald Acuña Jr. has been the clear favorite among our voters for the top spot. After returning from a torn ACL last season, Acuña has been back to full strength and absolutely crushing it. With a .338 average, six homers, 21 RBIs, 15 steals, and a .982 OPS over 35 games, he has been a key contributor to the Atlanta Braves' league-leading 24 wins.
2. Max Muncy is also making a strong case for NL MVP with his impressive performance so far this season. After dealing with injury issues in 2022, Muncy has returned to form in 2023, leading the league in homers (12) with 29 RBIs and a .935 OPS, including a walk-off grand slam last week. If he can maintain this level of production, he could be a serious contender for the award at the end of the season.

1. TB Rays (29-7)
2. Atlanta Braves (24-11)
3. Baltimore Orioles (22-13)
4. LA Dodgers (21-15)
5. Texas Rangers (21-13)
6. Boston Red Sox (21-15)
7. Toronto Blue Jays (21-14)
8. San Diego Padres (18-17)
9. Houston Astros (17-18)
10. Pittsburgh Pirates (21-15)

Team Highlights, and Downfalls

• The Cardinals are in complete disarray at the moment. With the most dreadful record in the National League, they have slumped 13 games below .500, with only 11 victories in the bag for the season. Such a ratio is undeniably grim. Not even the weakest team in baseball last year encountered such a problem. The Nationals were 52 games below .500, yet they clinched 55 wins. On Sunday, the Cardinals finally ended their eight-game losing streak, securing a triumph that must have felt more gratifying than any other early May triumph in the team's history. Nevertheless, even that victory, over a Detroit team with a sub-.500 record that is not expected to contend for the postseason, witnessed another faltering from the bullpen and necessitated three homers from the reigning NL MVP, Paul Goldschmidt.

• The Pirates were sizzling in the MLB during the initial month of the season, but they have been stone-cold since the start of May. The team might now be experiencing its most severe slump in 35 years. After beginning the year with an impressive 20-8, Pittsburgh has managed to go 1-8 since. The Pirates' losing spell has been fueled by their incapability to score.

• Late-inning heroes give Dodgers a series win over Padres. The victory allows the Dodgers to remain at the summit of the National League West. The Padres are currently in third place, three games behind. Fans who crave more of this exhilarating action don't need to wait too long since these two teams will meet again in Los Angeles next weekend.

• The Yankees, with their hot bats, aim for a sweep of the A's. Out of nowhere, the New York Yankees have witnessed a return of their power, which has enabled them to win games with relative ease. On Wednesday afternoon, the Yankees will endeavor to sustain their power surge when they try to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Oakland Athletics.