The MLB season is nearly three weeks in, and teams and players are making statements right out of the gate. Is it sustainable? While the answer is anybody’s guess, here are my picks for the biggest surprises so far this year.
Red Sox Are Back!
There is no hotter team in baseball right now. The Red Sox began the year getting swept by the Orioles, making fans wonder if this team had a shot of doing anything. After that series, the bats took off, and the team hasn’t looked back. The bats came alive, and much credit goes to JD Martinez. He has been crushing the ball, highlighted by a 3 HR game just the other night. The Red Sox pitching may not be up to par with a championship run, but the bats seem primed game after game. The Red Sox are currently 9-4, atop their division by 3.0 games, and winners of nine out of the last ten games. Oh, Sweet Caroline!
AL Central … (gulp) … Is Quite Good
Again, I know it’s early, but…. How about those Royals? KC is 7-4 and atop the division. How come? Prospects are finally performing, Whit Merrifield continues to rake as one of the best contact hitters in the league, and the team brought in many smaller pieces who’ve made a significant difference. Although I do not see KC as playoff contenders, I believe they will surprise this year. Then, there is Cleveland. The Indians have a stacked pitching rotation, headlined by CY Young winner Shane Bieber. On top of that, their lineup has a lot of solid bats. And don’t count out the White Sox. Even though they are playing under .500 ball at the moment, the Sox were picked by many to take the division. Carlos Rodón just tossed a 9-inning no-no against the Tribe. Bottom line? It looks like the AL Central won’t be MLB’s bottom-feeder in 2021.
Pitchers, Pitchers, Pitchers!
It’s not unusual for pitchers to be ahead of hitters in April and May, let’s also note that we’ve already had not one but TWO no-hitters in the first few weeks of the season. Joe Musgrove did it for the Padres–the first in team history, I might add–and Rodón was just one pitch away from throwing a perfect game. But it would be a mistake to focus only on the no-hitters we’ve seen. Other frontline pitchers haven’t missed a beat as Shane Bieber, Garrett Cole, and Trevor Bauer are just a few names who’ve dominated out of the gate. In a baseball era where we see offense galore, star pitchers are still finding plenty of success.
Booyah! Buxton and Mercedes
Who saw this coming! Byron Buxton (Twins) and Yermin Mercedes (White Sox) have been shredding the ball, putting the league on notice. Buxton is hitting for power, stealing bases, and becoming everything that the Twins had expected. Meanwhile, Mercedes started the season batting 8-for-8–the first player in the modern era to start a season with eight consecutive hits. Both of these players are young, and should do well this year and beyond. Look for a rivalry to develop between the Sox and Twins, in part, because of these two.
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I think MLB fans have a lot to look forward to this year. Baseball’s back…and in surprising ways, too!
