17 Weeks In: MLB: Power Rankings, Matchups, Highlights and more

How ‘bout them Red Sox? We’ve arrived at the 2018 All-Star break and the Boston Red Sox have the best record in baseball. Winning 9 out of their last 10 and 12 out of their last 13 since losing a series to the New York Yankees, Boston now has a 4.5 game lead over the rest of the league. The Yanks are still in second with a slight advantage over the Houston Astros and the American League still dwarfs the National League with four teams better than the NL best. We’ve made it half way through the season and I’ve somehow made it through 16 weeks of this weekly baseball column. Can’t let up now. Let’s get to some highlights.

Top Three Plays

Best Player In Baseball.

Should Be Jailed For Robbery.

This Team Is Special.

What To Watch

There aren’t any series to spotlight this week, so instead we’ll focus on the 2018 MLB All-Star week.

It’s easy to dismiss it as meaningless, especially now that it no longer determines home-field advantage in the World Series, but there’s really no reason to hate on it. It’s a nice throwback to the kid in all of us. It’s a return to the game of baseball being just that: a game.

So change out of those poopy pants and be an optimist for once. Get some friends together, make some cheap bets on the home run derby, find a solid All-Star drinking game, and just enjoy the mid-summer festivities.

There’s plenty of time for streaking teams to blow their lead and struggling teams to turn it around. There’s plenty of competitive, dramatic baseball on the horizon. The trade deadline is fast approaching and we’re bound to see a number of roster shake-ups. So let’s just take this time to add a little levity to the situation. Let’s have a little fun.

That said, this is also a good time to reflect on the season and look ahead at what’s to come, and I’m going to be releasing a mid-season podcast discussing just that. Should be dropping next Monday, so keep an eye out and subscribe.

In the meantime, check out the midseason power rankings and see who’s made the biggest jump since the beginning of the season.

Power Rankings