We have passed the midpoint of the season, with every team having played more than 81 games. Perhaps most important for our purposes, we have reached the end of June. We got here so fast!
There are few more pivotal months in a baseball season than July. It’s the month of the All-Star Game, the month of the MLB Draft and, of course, the month of the Trade Deadline. It’s the month when teams have to figure out who they are … and, in the end, who they want to be.
What are the big questions July will answer? Let’s take a look.
1) How will Deadline take shape, post-Devers deal?
We’re not going to have a bigger trade this year than the Red Sox sending Rafael Devers to the Giants. There’s no way, right? The earth-shattering trade everyone wants before the Deadline at the end of the month has already happened, and, all told, it’s still pretty earth-shattering. So, while nothing’s likely to challenge that, there will still be some rather big names shipped out.
What will be the biggest one? Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara is the most obvious one, but that the Braves and Orioles, two teams with World Series aspirations, look like potential sellers changes the equation. Could we see Marcell Ozuna moved? Cedric Mullins? Someone we haven't thought of yet? There are always zigs and zags as the Deadline approaches, and who ends up getting moved is destined to surprise us. After all: Who saw Devers being moved?
2) What will be our big All-Star moment?
It has been 25 years since the All-Star Game was in Georgia, and now it’s in a different stadium, with new stars and a recent World Series title banner waving in the outfield. Even with the Braves off to a disappointing start, it sure feels like Ronald Acuña Jr.’s week, particularly with him being a part of the Home Run Derby.
But all the big names will be there, from megastars Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge to the insurgent breakthroughs like Cal Raleigh and Pete Crow-Armstrong. And it sure would be nice to see Mike Trout -- a finalist for a starting spot -- make his 12th All-Star roster, the most among active players. (He has won two ASG MVPs, too.) Don’t forget, as well, that the AL has won 10 of the past 11 All-Star Games, a stretch that started with Mariano Rivera’s final appearance in an ASG back in 2013. Who will make history this time?
3) How does Ohtani’s pitching workload evolve?
It’s possible the biggest moment from the All-Star Game comes from Ohtani taking the mound, though that might be a bit aggressive for a guy still working his way back from Tommy John surgery. But the fact that Shohei is working his way back raises the question: How quickly will he progress from serving as an opener to a true starting pitcher?
He has worked his way up to two scoreless innings so far -- and 101.7 mph on his fastball -- and you can expect, if things keep going well, to see the training wheels come off by October. But will it happen in July? The Dodgers are starting to piece together a formidable pitching staff, and Ohtani is right there in the middle of it. His buildup is one of the most fascinating stories in the sport right now.
4) Can Raleigh keep up his 60-homer pace?
And here’s the other most fascinating story in the sport right now. (Sorry, Judge: Maybe you can work your way back to .400, though!) The Mariners’ Big Dumper has been on a torrid home run pace, currently scaled to hit 62 on the season, which would be the most by a primary catcher in MLB history by a full 14 homers. It would also be the most by a Mariner, and by a switch-hitter, while also tying Judge’s AL record. (Raleigh’s in the Derby, too.)
In the past week, though, we’ve seen a bit of a hole in Raleigh’s game: the lineup around him, which is not exactly preventing opponents from walking Raleigh. Still, even if he doesn’t make it to 60, he’s doing things we’ve never seen a catcher, any catcher, ever do. Can he keep it up?
5) Can the Astros overcome another big blow?
It is truly remarkable that the Astros not only are in first place in the AL West once again, with a significant lead over Raleigh’s Mariners, but also posted MLB’s best record in June. This is a team that waved goodbye to Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker this past offseason, is missing more than half its starting rotation and hasn’t had the services of star slugger Yordan Alvarez since early May. How in the world?
The Astros were in second place in the division at the beginning of June. They exited the month up by six games. That’s a good month. But now, here comes another obstacle: Shortstop Jeremy Peña, who has taken over as the team’s top position player with Bregman and Tucker elsewhere and Alvarez injured, was placed on the 10-day injured list on Monday with a fracture in one of the ribs on his left side. Can Houston somehow keep the good times going while Peña is out?
6) Do the young NL Central flamethrowers take the next step?
Move over, Paul Skenes: You’re old news! OK, maybe not exactly, but still: It’s kind of wild that there are two newer phenoms in his division, stealing his headlines and (unlike Skenes) pitching for teams with viable postseason aspirations. So what’s next for Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski and Cincinnati’s Chase Burns?
Few NL teams had a better time in June than the Brewers, and Misiorowski was one of the many reasons why; heck, he even outdueled Skenes in their one matchup. Burns just got drafted last year, with the No. 2 overall pick, and he’s already up with the Reds, announcing his presence by striking out five consecutive Yankees to begin his debut. He could be a key factor as Cincinnati attempts to reach the playoffs for the first time in a non-shortened season since 2013.
We’ve seen teams ride one electric arm deep into October before. Those runs often start in July.
7) Who will get picked first in the Draft?
Oh yes: The Draft is this month, too! (As we said: Busy month!) It begins in Atlanta on July 13, helping kick off All-Star festivities. The Nationals have the first pick, something they’ve had a lot of luck with in their history. MLB Pipeline’s latest mock Draft has them picking LSU left-hander and College World Series hero Kade Anderson.
This is not one of those years with a clear-cut lock at No. 1, though. There are other options in the mix here, including Stillwater (Okla.) High School infielder Ethan Holliday, who is the son of Matt and the little brother of Jackson. If Washington passes on Holliday, it’s tough to imagine him falling too far: his father’s two most prominent teams, the Rockies and the Cardinals, pick fourth and fifth.