A Quick Preview of the Current Top 6 Teams in the 2023 MLB Season
Jun 20, 2023
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The Major League Baseball (MLB) is the oldest professional sports league in the world. It came into the fold in 1903 when the National and American League signed the National Agreement that cemented their long standing cooperation.
Currently, 30 teams in the MLB are divided equally between the American League and the National League. Each team plays 162 games per season. The season culminates in the World Series, where the champions of the two leagues compete in a best-of-seven. Among the 30 teams, here’s a quick preview of the top six teams of the ongoing 2023 MLB Season.
American League
The American League is one of the two leagues that comprise the MLB. It was founded in 1901 by Ban Johnson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Since 1903, the champion of the American League has won 61 World Series. In fact, the current World Series champion, the Houston Astros, is part of this league.
The current World Series betting odds certainly favor the American League champion. They have both old and recent histories on their side. Moreover, the league has the team with the best record in the ongoing 2023 MLB Season.
Tampa Bay Rays
With a record of 50-22, the Tampa Bay Rays currently hold the best record almost halfway through the 2023 MLB Season. They’re currently on track to significantly improve their last season’s record of 86-76, barely enough to secure the last playoff spot in the American League.
Pundits before the start of the season have criticized the Rays’ lack of off-season actions. They even rated the Rays as a middle-of-road team likely to see only a two-win improvement on their record this season.
However, the Rays are defying these predictions. They’re currently the MLB’s best team, led by their healthy 22-year-old infielder Wander Franco. Franco has been injury-ridden the previous seasons and has not played more than 83 games.
Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers are finally making noise. For long enough, they’ve taken the backseat to the Houston Astros in the division, league, and state. They’re claiming their moment this 2023 MLB Season. With a record of 42-25, they’re leading the Astros by four games for the division lead and are currently ranked second in the league.
This current scenario wherein the Rangers are ranked second and ahead of the Astros didn’t come up to any pundits’ wildest dream. Before the season started, they immediately dismissed the Rangers. They argued that the Rangers only had one starter that wasn’t injured last year, and the aggressive off-season moves the Rangers made still won’t make it.
Baltimore Orioles
When pundits made their 2023 MLB Season predictions, they foreshadowed what the Baltimore Orioles would do. They highlighted that the Orioles last season had a 31-game improvement, surprising everyone in the league.
This season, the Orioles have built upon their gains the previous season by adding veteran players Kyle Gibson and Adam Frazier. Adley Rtuschman, their second-year catcher, has continued to develop into one of the league’s best catchers. If their current hold up, they will likely significantly improve on their previous record of 83-79.
National League
Of the two leagues constituting the MLB, the National League is the older one. It was founded in 1876 to replace the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. It’s affectionately called the senior circuit, being 25 years older than its counterpart.
The National League champion has won the World Series 51 times out of 118. Twenty-four of these World Series championships belong to the world-famous Los Angeles Dodgers. However, the reigning 2022 National League champion Philadelphia Phillies has won the most recent championships with eight.
Atlanta Braves
The current National League team with the best record is the Atlanta Braves. The Braves have a 43-26 record nearly halfway through the season. They’re currently on track to match their last season record.
Pundits pointed out that the Braves overachieved last season, given that they won 101 games without two of their best players. This 2023 MLB Season, the two players are now healthy, and Brave looks to fight tooth and nail with their division and league counterparts.
Arizona Diamondbacks
With a 41-28 record, the Arizona Diamondbacks are leading their division. This is a significant improvement, given that they finished near the bottom of the league last season.
The pundits called this current standing of the Diamondbacks before the season started. Even with MLB heavyweights in their division, the team has steadily and continuously improved since 2021. Their roster is full of young but solid players ready to prove their skills to the league.
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins have come a long way since finishing last season with a record of 69-93. They were considered last season’s best-losing team in the league after having a solid start and falling to the hands of attrition mid-through the season.
Analysis done by pundits based on their offseason actions, the Marlins look to improve their record significantly. The pundit’s prediction of an 81-81 season looks like a sure hit, given that the Marlins are currently the National League’s third-best team with a 38-31 record.
Final Thoughts
Given the unpredictability of sports, you can’t always precisely predict or foreshadow which team will win the World Series this early in the season. However, you can start pointing out which teams are in a good position to do it and which are currently struggling and underachieving.
The list above doesn’t include familiar names non-MLB fans know, like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Cardinals, and the reigning champions Astros. This could mean two things. First, it can indicate that we’re still in the early stages of the season. Second, it could be a sign that this season might have a surprise ending. You’ll have to wait until the end of the 2023 World Series to know which would be true.