The All Star Game has come and gone which means only one thing, it’s now do or die for MLB teams. The start of the second half of the season brings even more excitement than the first as teams will battle it out for a spot in postseason play.
Now the NL West could easily be called the easiest division in baseball thus far. Only eight and a half games separate the first place Arizona Diamondbacks from the last place San Diego Padres. Here’s a look at what to expect from these teams during the second half.
1. Arizona Diamondbacks
The D'Backs currently sit atop the NL West with a two and a half game lead, but that can quickly change. Heading into the break, Arizona went 6-4 in their last 10 games to finish the first half with a 50-45 record. A huge part of their first half success came off the bat of their All Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt is batting .313 with 21 homeruns and 77 RBI, not to mention his .395 OBP. 23-year-old starting pitcher Patrick Corbin has also helped with the DBacks early success. The All Star is 11-1 with a 2.35 ERA with 109 strikeouts.
The biggest concern for the DBacks heading into the second half has to be the pitching. At the beginning of the year, the bullpen seemed to be one of their greatest strengths, but in reality has been a great struggle. The starting pitching is also of concern. Brandon McCarthy was signed via free agency, and has had injury problems. Trevor Cahill has had a bad season as he’s posting a 3-10 record with a 4.66 ERA and 69 strikeouts. Possible trades for AZ would be for a starter, or a closer. J.J. Putz was recently activated from the DL and he has five saves on the season, but until he’s sharp on the mound, Heath Bell will handle save situations, as he has 15 on the season to go along with his 4.58 ERA.
Overall the pitching just needs to show more consistency. The Dbacks play 33 of their remaining games against division rivals, and will have to dominate said teams, especially in September where they play six straight series against the division.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers
Now, the Dodgers were expected to be a powerhouse this season and looking at their roster how could they not be sitting in first? They have a remarkable team on paper and an impressive pitching staff, yet they’ve struggled for most of this season. That is until Cuban superstar, Yasiel Puig was called up to the big leagues. In 38 games played, Puig is hitting .391 with eight homeruns and 19 RBI with a .422 OBP. With the help of Puig, the Dodgers are currently in second place two and a half games behind the DBacks.
Their rotation includes two aces in Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. All Star Kershaw is 8-6 with a remarkable 1.98 ERA and 139 strikeouts. Greinke is 8-2 with a 3.49 ERA and 68 strikeouts.
The key to the second half for the Dodgers is to keep their winning roll going. They’re currently at the .500 mark with their 47-47 record and have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games. Outfielder Matt Kemp is due back when eligible to come off the disabled list which would be on July 21st. Kemp’s played in 61 games this season and is batting .254 with four homeruns and 24 RBI. The return of Kemp will improve this team and give them a little extra as they make a run for the division title.
For the Dodgers, 26 of their remaining games will be against the division. Those are the games they must win. They also play the Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals, and Reds soon which will be big series’ and a big test for this team to determine if they can beat big time contenders.
3. Colorado Rockies
The Rockies are in third place and are four and a half games back. The Rockies were off to a hot start this year and are still in the race in the West despite their record of 46-50. Heading into the break they went 4-6 in their last 10 games.
Due to their impressive start, they were awarded three All Stars, all of whom were starters. Troy Tulowitzki, Michael Cuddyer, and Carlos Gonzalez. Tulo is batting .332 with 16 homeruns and 52 RBI. Cuddyer is batting .330 with 16 homeruns and 55 RBI. Gonzalez is batting .302 with 25 homeruns and 64 RBI.
As far as the trade deadline is concerned, the Rockies may be buyers and have reportedly been interested in reliever Jesse Crain from the White Sox, and even starting pitcher Phil Hughes from the New York Yankees.
As they enter the second half of the season, they’ll have to step up and prove whether or not they are legitimate contenders. This month they’ll play the Cubs, Marlins, and Brewers; all of which are struggling. The Rockies have to take advantage in order to keep pace and contend in the West. They play 24 of their remaining games against the division and they’ll have to beat division leaders in the Dbacks and Dodgers if they want a shot at winning the division.
4. San Francisco Giants
The defending World Series Champs haven’t played like World Champs thus far this season. Their 43-51 record has them in fourth place, six and a half out of first. The Giants have been playing better as of late; they’ve gone 4-6 in their last 10 with the highlight being Tim Lincecum pitching a no-no against the San Diego Padres. The pitching staff hasn’t been great this season and the hitters have struggled, but star catcher Buster Posey is having another terrific season as he’s batting .325 with 13 homeruns and 56 RBI. Madison Bumgarner has also been a bright spot in the rotation with his 10-5 record to go along with a 3.02 ERA and 122 strikeouts.
The Giants have the talent on the roster, they just need to build some chemistry and get a hot streak going. Despite the poor record, they are still in contention due to the fact that he NL West is a poor division. It’s been rumored that Lincecum may be close to his last days in San Francisco, but again that’s just rumor and speculation.
They have 29 games left against their division and those are the key matchups and the games they need to win. They also have to play some tough teams in the Red Sox, Pirates, Orioles, Reds, and Yankees in these last few months.
5. San Diego Padres
The Padres are in last place and eight and a half games back with a record of 42-54. They are 2-8 in their last 10 games and don’t have a lot of promise for making the postseason this year as they are a rebuilding team. Their All Star shortstop Everth Cabrera has had a nice season for them posting a .291 average with four homeruns and 25 RBI.
As they finish the season, 28 of their games are against the division, and they have an opportunity to spoil the postseason for their opponents. While they aren't too far back in the NL West, they don’t have what it takes to compete to win a division title just yet.