It’s been only about a week and half since the baseball MLB All Star game, but in a league in which so much can change from day to the next – just ask baseball betting bookies – every game; every win and every loss count. Having said that, let’s take a look at how those teams that have the best chances to make it to the World Series have been doing since returning from the All Star break (stats current as of July, 22nd).
Chicago Cubs. The Cubs came back from the break under the obligation to make up from a lackluster beginning of July. Chicago had gone 2-8, including a five-game losing streak right before winning the last game before the break 6-5 versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. Following the break, they won two more in a row before the Rangers before losing the final game of that particular series, and went on to win the succeeding three-game set against the New York Mets 2-1.
Of particular note, Anthony Rizzo hit his 24th homer of the season, one short of NL leader and Cubs’ own Kris Bryant. Meanwhile, Kyle Hendricks’ 2.27 ERA is ranked third in the league behind Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner. The Cubs (57-37) lead the NL Central with a .606 percentage.
San Francisco Giants. The Giants have been struggling since the break. They were in a four-game winning streak prior to the All-Star game. Now, they are in a five-game losing streak. It is a testament to the Giants’ strong first half of the 2016 season that they still have the second best winning percentage in the league (.600) behind the above-mentioned Cubs, and that they still lead the NL West with 57 wins and 38 losses – and are thus considered heavy baseball betting contenders.
Texas Rangers. The Rangers have been having a rough month of July, both pre- and post-All Star Break. Their overall record for the 7th month of the year is 4-12, with five of those losses coming after July 12th. Their only win following the break was a 4-1 victory versus the Cubs. Like the Giants, however, the Rangers remain on top of the AL West with 55 wins and 44 losses (29-15 at home, 26-26 away) for a .575 percentage.
Washington Nationals. The Nationals have broken even since coming back from the mid-season break. They have won three against the Pirates and the Dodgers, and lost another three precisely to those two teams. The National are 57-39 overall and continue to dominate the NL East with a .594 percentage.
Cleveland Indians. The Indians have gone 4-2 since the All Star break. While their days of lengthy winning streaks seem to be past them, those days served them well to cement them in the lead in the AL Central, with a 56-38 record and a .596 percentage. Fans of baseball betting may have soured on Cleveland, but in a season this long, you just can’t win them all.
Baltimore Orioles. In contrast to the Cubs and Indians, the Orioles record following the Midsummer Classic is 2-4. They won the first two of the second half of the season versus the Rays, but then went on a four-game losing streak – including losing a series to the Yankees – before tasting victory once again.