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 season 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: Milwaukee Brewers (91-59)
Top Position Player: Brice Turang (4.1 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Freddy Peralta (3.4 fWAR)
Each off-season,
the Brewers offload the type of premium talent that’s supposed to sink a small-market team. And, each season, they find a way to stay competitive. This year’s model was the swap of closer Devin Williams for starter Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin, a move that has caused much consternation in the Bronx as Williams has unraveled while Durbin has emerged as a 5-foot-7 sparkplug, the kind of fundamentally sound and easily overlooked player the Brewers covet. Durbin is one of six of the team’s position players aged 27 and younger who’s accumulated 2.5 fWAR, augmenting a talented and deep core in Milwaukee. They’re no slouches on the other side of the ball, either, with Freddy Peralta pitching like an ace and Brandon Woodruff returning to form after missing nearly two years with shoulder issues. All of that has led the Brewers to the best record in the NL, ahead of big-budget, star-laden teams like the Phillies, Mets, Padres, and Dodgers.
Second Place: Chicago Cubs (85-64)
Top Position Player: Pete Crow-Armstrong (5.1 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Matthew Boyd (3.5 fWAR)
After leading the division by as much as 6.5 games in mid-June, the Cubs have struggled to maintain their success. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker, both MVP candidates in the first half, have posted OPS’s more than 100 points lower in the second half so far. As a team, they’ve gone 27-25 since the All-Star break. Chicago’s dominance early on has allowed them to cling to the top Wild Card spot in the NL, though, and there are plenty of reasons for optimism down the stretch. Ian Happ has picked up the slack from his outfield compatriots, slashing .270/.379/.517 in the second half. And Cade Horton has been a revelation, going 10-4 with a 2.70 ERA through 20 starts as he cruises to the NL Rookie of the Year.
Third Place: Cincinnati Reds (74-75)
Top Position Player: Elly De La Cruz (3.6 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Andrew Abbott (3.5 fWAR)
After consecutive seasons in which the team hovered around .500, unable to capitalize on a wide-open NL Central, the Reds coaxed Terry Francona out of retirement this offseason, engendering hope that the future Hall of Famer would be able to level up a talented roster into a playoff team. Cincinnati’s rotation has been as deep as any in baseball, with Andrew Abbott, Hunter Greene, and Nick Lodolo all pitching like aces. Unfortunately, a promising position player group hasn’t held up its end of the bargain at the plate. Of the nine players who’ve played in at least 80 games for the Reds, the top hitter by OPS+ at a meager 106 is Austin Hays, the veteran outfielder who’s DH’d nearly as much as he’s played the field this season. Elly De La Cruz has been merely average at the plate, a far cry from the superstar the Reds hoped was ready to blossom. All that has led to another season shaping up to end around .500. Cincinnati is still clinging around the fringes of the Wild Card race, more due to the Mets’ collapse than their own success, as a recent sweep at the hands of the lowly Athletics proves. Barring a late run, the Reds appear likely to be on the outside looking in once again this October.
Fourth Place: St. Louis Cardinals (73-77)
Top Position Player: Masyn Winn (3.5 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Sonny Gray (3.3 fWAR)
This offseason, outgoing Cardinals GM John Mozeliak issued a clear edict that the team was looking to rebuild. But, after star third baseman Nolan Arenado nixed a trade to Houston, the Cardinals seemingly backed into being competitive, carrying a winning record into the All-Star break. Without the support of the front office, though, the overperforming group on the field never really had a chance. After flipping pitchers Ryan Helsley, Steven Matz, and Phil Maton at the deadline, the Cardinals have sputtered out, slipping to fourth in the NL Central. 23-year-old Masyn Winn looks like a legitimate franchise cornerstone, ranking first among all NL shortstops with 17 runs of Fielding Run Value. The rest of the team is looking thin at the major league level heading into what will be a momentous offseason, with Mozeliak handing the reins to former Red Sox GM Chaim Bloom as one of baseball’s proudest franchises charts a new course.
Last Place: Pittsburgh Pirates (65-85)
Top Position Player: Oneil Cruz (1.8 fWAR)
Top Pitcher: Paul Skenes (6.2 fWAR)
With respect to some other talented players on their roster, the Pittsburgh Pirates are the Paul Skenes show. The 23-year-old is putting the finishing touches on a pitching season for the ages, with a 1.92 ERA and 203 strikeouts through 30 starts. The fact that he has a 10-9 record is indicative of the broader problem in Pittsburgh. Spencer Horwitz is the only Pirate with a wRC+ above 100. Not just among qualified players — among anyone to pick up a bat for the Bucs all year. Even behind Skenes, the pitching has been serviceable — though the team’s decision to retain veteran standouts Mitch Keller and Dennis Santana seems doomed only to prolong what will be a 10-year playoff drought. This offseason, the prevailing narrative around the Pirates will be whether or not they entertain offers to pry Skenes loose. Pirates brass have been adamant that they will not, though with a franchise this dysfunctional, it’s anyone’s guess what move they’ll make next.
