The 2023 MLB season has been one of the league’s most exciting in recent memory—and not just because of the top-down rule changes that were instated.
Now that the All-Star Break has come and gone, it is officially crunch time for all the MLB Postseason contenders out there.
Unfortunately, not all of these “contenders” are legitimate. In fact, there are eight teams, who seem to think are in the running, well, their seasons are actually over already!
Philadelphia Phillies
Though this Phillies have gotten solid production out of Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos, it is hard to picture them as a legitimate contender with the way that Trea Turner has played fresh off that massive contract.
To their credit, the team has done well to battle through that adversity, as well as the absence of Rhys Hoskins, who suffered that season-ending ACL tear during spring training—and Bryce Harper’s struggles returning from Tommy John surgery, but they’ve done little to convince that this season is shaping up to be anything more than a moral victory.
Milwaukee Brewers
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Milwaukee’s pitching staff will get a much-needed boost with Brandon Woodruff due to return soon, but even if he can return to proper form, the Brewers’ pitching staff and lineup lacks the depth of a legitimate postseason contender. The team is fortunate to have one of the game’s best managers in Craig Counsell, as it has really outperformed its talent level. Pains me to say this to the Brewers diehards out there, but let’s face it—the season is over.
New York Yankees
The Yankees will need a big second half of the year out of Aaron Judge when he returns from that nagging toe injury if they want to compete in a deep AL East. New York has done well to tread water in his absence, but that hardly qualifies as true contention. Especially for an organization like the New York Yankees, which is supposed to be championship or bust!
New York Mets
Can you even call the Mets contenders at this point? New York has been far and away the most disappointing team in the league this year—and there are no signs that it will get better anytime soon, though I’m sure Steve Cohen will try to buy another quick-fix type of solution.
Cleveland Guardians
Considering the Guardians are still hovering right around .500, they are lucky to play in the AL Central. They have been one of the league’s bigger disappointments this season, as people were high on them after their competitive ALDS against the Yankees last year.
Cleveland needs to add some depth to its lineup at the deadline or they will struggle to make the playoffs this year, let alone truly contend for a World Series.
Boston Red Sox
The AL East has been an absolute juggernaut this season, so declaring the Red Sox’ season over isn’t the indictment it is in other divisions. This year has been full of pleasant surprises for Boston’s fan base, a la Jarren Duran’s breakout season, but unless they make some serious moves at the deadline, don’t expect Boston to make any sort of serious run.
Seattle Mariners
There was no hotter team than the Seattle Mariners heading into this year’s All-Star Break. The team won seven of nine, pushing itself back above .500 and giving its fan base one last shot of hope—heading into the stretch run of the year.
Unfortunately, with key names like Julio Rodriguez continuing to struggle, it is extremely unlikely that Seattle makes the postseason this year, let alone a World Series run.
Los Angeles Angels
Common sense should dictate that having had Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani under contract for the last handful of years, Los Angeles Angels would be perennial World Series contenders, yet they’ve struggled to even qualify for the postseason.
This year, for some reason, felt different, but as the season as waned on, they’ve proven to be the same old Angels and now are rumored to be trading Ohtani at the deadline, rather than risking losing him in free agency this up-coming offseason for nothing.
