National League report cards at the halfway mark
Welcome to theScore's MLB midseason report cards, in which we look at where each NL team stands following the first half of the campaign.
Expectations were high after the D-Backs' big offseason following a Cinderella run to the World Series. However, it was an inconsistent first half for Arizona as the club has spent the majority of the season below .500. Newcomers Eugenio Suárez and Jordan Montgomery struggled, while Eduardo Rodriguez hasn't pitched for the club due to a shoulder injury. Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll has been shockingly bad, authoring a .212/.301/.334 slash line with five homers. Yet, the team is only one game out of a wild-card spot thanks to Christian Walker, Ketel Marte, and Joc Pederson posting a combined 8.6 fWAR.
It was always going to be hard for the Braves to replicate last year's incredible regular season. However, Atlanta's had to navigate season-ending injuries to stars Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider. The Braves are still very likely to make the postseason but are a baffling 19th in runs scored at the All-Star break. First baseman Matt Olson has just 13 home runs after setting a franchise record with 54 in 2023.
The Cubs have fallen flat under new manager Craig Counsell. The lineup hasn't produced thus far, ranking in the bottom half of the league in runs, OPS, and home runs. Chicago's played a league-high 34 one-run games and is just 14-20 in those contests. The Cubs have also struggled within the division, posting a 12-21 record against NL Central clubs.
Jonathan India boldly proclaimed in the spring that the Reds would win the NL Central, which looks questionable with the team eight games behind the first-place Brewers. However, Cincinnati's plus-38 run differential is second-best in the division. Elly De La Cruz has been sensational in his sophomore year, setting a new franchise record with 46 stolen bases in the first half. He's on pace to become the first player ever with 30 homers and 80 steals in a single season. Still, a team that appeared to be on the rise has yet to really take off.
It would be easy to give the Rockies a failing grade considering the club owns the third-worst record in baseball, but the team is playing like many expected in 2024. Colorado owns the second-worst run differential (-169) in the majors due to a pitching staff that's amassed an MLB-low 2.7 fWAR. Brenton Doyle has been a bright spot with 15 homers, 20 steals, and an .814 OPS. The 26-year-old's gone ballistic in July, slashing .422/.509/1.067 with eight round-trippers and 15 RBIs over 13 games.
The Dodgers have been good but not even close to the superteam everybody expected after a massive offseason. Los Angeles' rotation has been decimated by injuries, as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler, and Tyler Glasnow have all spent varying amounts of time on the IL. Meanwhile, Mookie Betts has been out since mid-June due to a broken hand. Shohei Ohtani will get significant consideration for a third MVP as he's got the potential to finish with a 40-40 season, adding another first to his unprecedented resume.
The Marlins shocked everyone by making the postseason in 2023 but have derailed any momentum since. The franchise parted ways with general manager Kim Ng, replacing her with former Rays executive Peter Bendix. The Marlins, ravaged by injuries in the starting rotation, already traded infielder Luis Arraez, and it's become clear that this will likely be manager Skip Schumaker's final season in Miami. There isn't much to be excited about for baseball fans in South Florida right now.
Many pegged 2024 as a transitional season for the Brewers due to them trading Corbin Burnes and playing without Brandon Woodruff. First-year manager Pat Murphy has his team playing excellent baseball, and they deservingly sit atop the division. Despite missing All-Star closer Devin Williams all season, the bullpen leads baseball in wins, is tied for third in ERA, and is top-10 in both WHIP and opponent's batting average.
The Mets entered the season with much lower expectations after a disastrous 2023 campaign. Things looked pretty bleak after a 9-19 stretch in May had them sitting at 24-33. New York totally flipped the script since the start of June, going 25-12 as one of baseball's hottest teams. The Mets have received big contributions from a number of players - but Brandon Nimmo, in particular, has been excellent. Nimmo has a 166 wRC+ with nine home runs, 34 RBIs, and a 1.8 fWAR since the beginning of June.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson said his club was focused on dethroning the Braves atop the NL East, and they've delivered in spades so far. Philadelphia became the first NL team since 1974 to win at least 62 games before the All-Star break. They set a record with five pitchers named to the All-Star team and are a top-five offensive club in a number of key categories. The Phillies appear primed for another run into October as they search for the franchise's first title since 2008.
The Pirates are in the thick of a wild-card race thanks to their dynamic, young rotation of Paul Skenes, Mitch Keller, and Jared Jones. Skenes has taken the baseball world by storm since arriving in mid-May, becoming the second-fastest player to be named an All-Star since Joe DiMaggio. The 22-year-old phenom already leads Pittsburgh's pitching staff with a 1.9 fWAR in just 11 starts.
The Padres essentially replaced Juan Soto with Jurickson Profar, who started the All-Star Game after inking a one-year deal. The latter is putting together a career season at age 31, slashing .305/.394/.476 with 14 homers and 59 RBIs through the first half of the season. San Diego would probably be sitting in a wild-card spot if the club got more out of Manny Machado, who owns a .741 OPS, and Xander Bogaerts, who's played in only 49 games due to injury and has struggled when healthy to the tune of a .597 OPS.
The Giants sit under .500 after spending a combined $315 million in free agency on Blake Snell, Matt Chapman, Jorge Soler, Jordan Hicks, and Jung Hoo Lee. The group combined to post a 3.9 fWAR in the first half. Lee is also out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. On a positive note, Heliot Ramos came out of nowhere to become an All-Star, recording 14 homers with 46 RBIs and an .888 OPS in just 60 games.
The Cardinals currently occupy a playoff spot after finishing last in the NL Central in 2023. St. Louis has been lucky this year, as its minus-38 run differential is the worst in the division and the club hasn't gotten much from star sluggers Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado. The additions of veteran starters Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, and Lance Lynn stabilized the rotation. In particular, Gray owns a 3.34 ERA with 121 strikeouts over 99 2/3 innings (17 starts).
For the first time in what feels like ages, there's legitimate reason for optimism in Washington. The Soto blockbuster continues to age wonderfully for general manager Mike Rizzo, with MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, and James Wood all looking like cornerstones moving forward. Abrams, in particular, has been one of the best offensive shortstops in the National League, ranking in the top five at the position in home runs, stolen bases, and wRC+.
HEADLINES
- Ohtani unsure if he would've stayed with Angels: 'I wasn't made an offer'
- Cora: Red Sox are 'running out of time' in wild-card race
- Padres' Darvish to start Wednesday for 1st time in over 3 months
- MLB Power Rankings: Cubs making playoff push, Twins slumping
- Freeman, Hernández power Dodgers to series win over D-Backs