The Los Angeles Dodgers (47-23) and Houston Astros (47-23) lead the MLB with 47 wins each and they’re neck-and-neck fighting and chasing 50 games this season. Conversely, the last place Miami Marlins and Baltimore Orioles are trying to avoid becoming the first teams to lose 50 games this season.
The 50-mark is a special number in baseball. It’s the halfway mark to 100 wins. That’s the benchmark every team strives to accomplish over a season.
Last year, three teams in the American League won at least 100 games. The Boston Red Sox won 108 games en route to a World Series title. The Houston Astros won the AL West with 103 games. The Yankees won 100 games, but finished in second place in the AL East behind the Red Sox.
For losing teams with no shot at a Wild Card, they’re playing to avoid the ultimate humiliation of losing 100-plus games.
Last season, three teams in the AL lost 100-plus games. The Orioles went 47-115, while the Kansas City Royals lost 104 games and the Chicago White Sox dropped 100.
As bad as the Marlins were last season, they only lost 98 games. As per usual, the Marlins do not have a shot at a Wild Card because they are in perpetual rebuilding mode.
Half-Century Club
This season is approximately 68-69 games old. Only five teams have at least 40 wins.
The LA Dodgers and the Houston Astros are the teams most likely to reach 50 first. The Astros host the Toronto Blue Jays this weekend, while the Dodgers play the Cubbies in LA.
The Astros have been dealing with their own sudden rash of injuries to key players such as George Springer, Jose Altuve, and Carlos Correa.
The LA Dodgers are on a mission to return to their third-straight World Series. Hyun-Jin Ryu is pitching lights out, while Cody Bellinger is near the Top 5 in all the Triple Crown categories.
BEST TEAMS IN MLB
LA Dodgers 47-23
Houston Astros 47-23
Minnesota Twins 46-22
Tampa Rays 42-27
NY Yankees 41-27
The Minnesota Twins are the Rodney Dangerfield of baseball. They led the majors in home runs to start the season, but no one is giving them any respect despite a 46-22 record. The Twins have a chance to pad their AL Central lead with a weekend series against the last-place Royals.
The NY Yankees struggled over the last two weeks and fell a half-game behind the Tampa Rays in the AL East. The Yankees are in Chicago for a four-game series against the White Sox. The Tampa Rays have poor attendance once again this season, but they’re fighting the Yanks for first place. The Rays host the LA Angels and Shohei Ohtani this weekend.
The Braves (41-29) are the hottest team in baseball with 8 wins in a row. They hold a 2.5 game lead over the Phillies in the NL East. The NL Central teams are all very good, but they’re cannibalizing each other. The Milwaukee Brewers (39-30) and Chicago Cubs (38-31) are fighting for first place in a tough division.
Only the Losers Get Lucky Sometimes
It’s not easy being a bad baseball team trying to endure a 162-game season as one of the bottom feeders.
The Miami Marlins switched up their color scheme and logos, but they did not make efforts to chase big-time free agents. They are not the worst team in baseball, but they are definitely in the Top 5.
WORST TEAMS IN MLB
Baltimore Orioles 21-48
Kansas City Royals 22-47
Toronto Blue Jays 25-44
Seattle Mariners 30-43
Miami Marlins 24-43
The Orioles (21-48) are on pace to be the worst team in baseball for another season. They’re also the frontrunner to lose 50 games the fastest. The Birds and their weak pitching allowed 100 home runs faster than any other team in the history of baseball.
The Mariners started the season 11-2 and looked unbeatable. Then variance reared its ugly head. The Ms have gone 19-41 since then.
The Royals can’t win a game on the road to save their lives. They have the worst road record in baseball with an 8-24 clip.
The Toronto Blue Jays have to deal with the NY Yankees, Tampa Rays, and Boston Red Sox beating up on them every week. They can’t go more than a week without running into a superior AL East foe.
The Detroit Tigers (25-41) and the last-place San Francisco Giants (29-38) are also fighting to avoid futility and the 50-loss mark.
