(PhatzRadio Sports / AP) — CHICAGO – Mookie Betts and the major league-leading Red Sox are on pace for 100-plus wins. Same for Aaron Judge and the Yankees, and the World Series champion Astros, too.
The Orioles, White Sox and Royals are on track to lose more than 100.
It’s the haves and the have-nots as baseball returns after the All-Star break.
“There’s a few good teams out there that they’re going to make it interesting in the second half,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “That’s why you got to show up every day and keep playing. We had a great first part of the season, but that doesn’t guarantee us anything in October, going to October.”
The Dodgers know all about October, and they are a World Series contender again. Especially with the addition of Manny Machado.
The N.L. West leaders got a head start on the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline by sending five prospects to Baltimore on Wednesday for Machado, an All-Star shortstop capable of powering Los Angeles to its first title in 30 years.
“Any time you have a chance to add an impact player in a tight division race that’s something you have to look at closely,” Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said.
The Indians bolstered their bullpen by acquiring All-Star closer Brad Hand and rookie Adam Cimber in a trade with San Diego on Thursday, sending catching prospect Francisco Mejia to the rebuilding Padres.
Machado might be the biggest star to switch teams this month, but there will be plenty of players on the move.
If the last-place Mets decide to rebuild, aces Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard could shake up the playoff race. Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels and Reds pitchers Raisel Iglesias and Matt Harvey – remember him? – also could be headed for new homes. Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas and Twins second baseman Brian Dozier could provide hitting help for a contender.
“Starting pitching is always big during the trade deadline, whether it’s me or somebody else who’s having a good year,” deGrom said.
The Padres also could ship out relievers Kirby Yates and Craig Stammen. They are the only team out of the conversation in the N.L. West, where the Dodgers’ lead over fourth-place San Francisco is just four games. The Cubs have the best record in the National League after chasing Milwaukee for much of the first half, and the N.L. East looks like a three-team race.
Washington was supposed to be one of the haves this year, but it hasn’t worked out so far. The Nationals hit the break with a .500 record, looking up at the surprising Phillies and Braves.
But ace right-hander Stephen Strasburg, first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and closer Sean Doolittle are set to return from injuries, and it looked as if Bryce Harper regained some of his swagger with his win in the All-Star Home Run Derby in his home ballpark.
“We’ve got to battle,” Harper said. “I think the Braves are really good, the Phillies are good and those are two teams that are probably going to make some moves as well. Looking forward to the second half. Looking forward to do what we need to do.”
While the N.L. features three tight division races, there is nothing like the duel in the A.L. East, or the crowded A.L. West for that matter.
The Red Sox and Yankees have baseball’s best two records, and one of them could be headed for the wild-card game. The Astros are in prime position to become the first repeat World Series winner since the Yankees from 1998-2000, but any stumble and the Mariners or surging Athletics could push the Astros into a more precarious spot.
“We need to win games and need to continue to push and put pressure on our division, put pressure on the rest of the American League,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “We have to do what we’re capable of.”
There is a lot to love about Boston, too. Betts is making a case for the A.L. MVP award, and Chris Sale leads the strikeout-crazy majors with a whopping 188 Ks. The Red Sox also have received surprising contributions from All-Star first baseman Mitch Moreland and left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.
Of course, the Yankees don’t look like they are going anywhere either, not with Judge anchoring a deep lineup and Luis Severino at the front of their rotation. Expect the A.L. East rivals to be on the hunt for help at the nonwaiver deadline, desperately hoping to avoid that dicey wild-card matchup.
“One of the signs of a potentially great team is you’re not satisfied with anything you’ve done to this point,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “A handful of guys have had really great years. There’s more guys in that room who certainly feel like they can be even better. That’s our expectation moving forward.”
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CUBS 9, CARDINALS 6
CHICAGO – Jason Heyward had three hits and two RBIs, Ian Happ belted a two-run homer and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-6 on Thursday night in baseball’s first game after the All-Star break.
Anthony Rizzo added two doubles from the leadoff spot as Chicago kicked off a five-game series against St. Louis with its fourth consecutive victory. Victor Caratini had three hits and scored three times, and Ben Zobrist delivered a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the Cubs’ five-run fifth inning.
With Chicago and St. Louis returning a day earlier than the rest of the majors, Cubs manager Joe Maddon held All-Stars Willson Contreras and Javier Baez out of the starting lineup. Caratini and Zobrist picked up the slack quite nicely as the NL Central leaders increased their advantage to a season-high three games over idle Milwaukee.
Yadier Molina matched a career high with four hits for St. Louis, but interim manager Mike Shildt was handed his first loss in his second game in charge after Mike Matheny was fired Saturday night. Tommy Pham and Matt Carpenter each hit a solo homer.
The Cardinals had a 3-1 lead before the Cubs started teeing off on Carlos Martinez (6-6) in the fifth.
Caratini singled, advanced to second on shortstop Paul DeJong’s throwing error and scored on Rizzo’s stinging double into the gap in right-center. Heyward hit a tying RBI single and Zobrist followed with a fly ball to center, driving in Kris Bryant for a 4-3 lead.
Happ then hit a drive deep to right-center for his 12th homer. He also went deep in his previous game, connecting for a solo shot in Saturday night’s 11-6 victory at San Diego.
Brian Duensing (3-0) got the last out of the fifth for the win. Pedro Strop got one out for his third save after the Cubs placed closer Brandon Morrow on the 10-day disabled list as part of a flurry of pregame moves.
Martinez allowed six runs, five earned, and seven hits in five innings. The right-hander went 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA in his previous four starts.
Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks also struggled, yielding nine hits in 4 2/3 innings. But he wiggled out of a couple jams while limiting the Cardinals to three runs.
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MLB 2ND HALF
A look at what’s happening around the majors today:
HADER RETURNS
Milwaukee reliever Josh Hader rejoins the team, three days after years-old racist and homophobic tweets of his resurfaced during the All-Star Game. The Brewers open the second half at Miller Park against the Dodgers.
The 24-year-old Hader has apologized for the tweets, saying they did not reflect his values or the person he is now. The commissioner’s office will require Hader to participate in diversity and inclusion initiatives and sensitivity training.
Hader spoke with Brewers teammate Lorenzo Cain after the All-Star Game in Washington. Cain, who is African-American, said he expects the club to accept Hader’s present-day statements and move on.
MACHADO DEBUT
Manny Machado plays his first game for the Dodgers, filling a big gap at shortstop when the NL West leaders visit Milwaukee. Los Angeles traded five minor leaguers to Baltimore during the break for the four-time All-Star. The 26-year-old Machado was hitting .315 with 24 homers and 65 RBIs. Shortstop Corey Seager helped the Dodgers reach the World Series last year, but had Tommy John surgery in May.
Machado might need to work out another trade, too. His favorite No. 13 is worn by Dodgers bright spot Max Muncy. We’ll see if Machado can come up with a deal to get the jersey.
OHTANI REPORT
The Angels say two-way star Shohei Ohtani’s elbow ligament is continuing to heal and he has been medically cleared to begin a throwing progression. There’s no timetable when the Japanese sensation might pitch again for Los Angeles.
Ohtani was put on the disabled list with an ulnar collateral ligament sprain on June 8. He has since rejoined the Angels as a designated hitter. He is batting .283 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs. On the mound, Ohtani won four of his first five decisions before getting injured.
LENDING A HAND
All-Star closer Brad Hand joins the AL Central-leading Indians as they begin the second half in Texas. Cleveland got the lefty and rookie righty sidearmer Adam Cimber from the rebuilding Padres on Thursday for switch-hitting catching prospect Francisco Mejia. The Indians own the biggest division lead in the majors at 7 1/2 games over Minnesota, but want to a bolster a bullpen that’s been minus star lefty Andrew Miller since late May and has a 5.28 ERA, second-worst in the majors.
WANT HIM?
Reliever Santiago Casilla is available, a day after the Athletics released him. The right-hander turns 38 next week and was 0-0 with one save and a 3.16 ERA in 26 games. He’s has had control trouble, walking 20 in 31 1-3 innings. Casilla has 144 saves in a 15-year career spent entirely in the Bay Area with the A’s and Giants. He has plenty of postseason experience, posting a 0.92 ERA in 25 games and helping San Francisco win three World Series titles.
BRONX BOUND
Mets star Noah Syndergaard pitches at Yankee Stadium for the first time when the Subway Series resumes in New York. Syndergaard has faced the Yankees just once, as a rookie in mid-September 2015, and he got off to a rough start — Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner led off that game with singles and Carlos Beltran followed with a home run in the Mets’ 5-0 loss.