Most observers assumed the Giants would go away and the two-team race would be the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. After all, those teams met in the NLDS last year, and the young Padres upgraded their pitching staff in the offseason. But so did the Giants, and with a three-game winning streak this weekend, they are 53-30, the best record in baseball.
The Dodgers (53-31) swept the Washington Nationals on the road over the four-day weekend and have a nine-game win streak. That is their longest since 2017, and the bullpen did extra duty on Sunday with starter Trevor Bauer placed on administrative leave.
Not to be forgotten about, the Padres are 50-36, sitting 4.5 games behind the Giants. The division boasts three of the top four records in the National League and three of the top seven in all of baseball. Even with the playoffs back to 10 teams, it’s very possible the NL West gets both wild cards as contenders in the East have fallen below .500, and the Central teams posted horrendous June records.
The Dodgers are 6-3 against the Giants this year with 10 games left but just 3-7 against San Diego with nine games remaining. The Giants lead the series against the Padres 5-4. Those teams have 10 games left head-to-head, including a season-ending series in San Francisco.
The Dodgers remain the favorites, not just in the division but to repeat as champions. They are -230 to win the division with the Padres at +350 and the current leaders San Francisco at +375. The Dodgers are +175 to win the NL and +380 to win the World Series with the Padres at +400 NL +750 WS and the Giants at +750 NL/+1800 WS.
Red Sox Rocking in the East
Don’t look now, but the Boston Red Sox have taken command of the AL East. Eight days ago, they were in second place but now head into the final week of the first half with a 4 ½ game lead on the Tampa Bay Rays. Boston lost two-of-three at Tampa June 22-24, and since then, they have gone 9-1, with the lone loss a 12-inning setback at Oakland on Saturday.
Included in that run was a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. The Yankees are now in fourth place in the AL East, 10 full games behind their rivals.
The Red Sox also put five players on the American League All-Star Team this weekend. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts and third baseman Rafael Devers were voted in as starters. Meanwhile, pitchers Nathan Eovaldi and Matt Barners were added to the team along with designated hitter J.D. Martinez.
With five players, the Red Sox have more than any other AL team. They also had five All-Stars back in 2018 and went on to win the World Series.
The Red Sox are -175 to win the division, with the Rays at +270. The Toronto Blue Jays are +650, and the fading Yankees are +800. Boston is +500 to win the AL pennant and +1000 to win the World Series.
Blue Jays Ready to Go Home
Speaking of the Blue Jays, the organization has requested permission from the Canadian government to return home this season. The Blue Jays have not played at Rogers Centre since the end of the 2019 season due to the pandemic and local restrictions. They played all of the 2020 season at the home of their Triple-A affiliate Buffalo Bisons, and have split this season between Buffalo and their spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida.
The Jays are 43-39 overall but just 19-20 in games that are considered home games. They have a three-game series with Texas right after the All-Star break, and then a crucial three-game set with Boston, and all six games are set to be played in Buffalo.
If their request is approved, Toronto would be back at Rogers Centre for a weekend set against Kansas City July 30 – August 1. That series begins a 10-game homestand with four against Cleveland and three against Boston. Another option would be returning home on August 20 against Detroit.