It was a surprising and spectacular first half. Average game times are down 25 minutes and stolen bases are up 41% for the highest rate since 1997, thanks to the new rules. Five of the six division races are within two games. Shohei Ohtani continues to do things we've never seen before, including an awe-inspiring June in which he hit .394 with 15 home runs and had a 3.26 ERA in five starts as a pitcher. Ronald Acuna Jr. is on pace for a season we've never seen before: 38 home runs, 75 stolen bases and the most runs scored since 2001.
The Reds are good. They called up Elly De La Cruz, a 6-foot-5 typhoon of speed and power who immediately emerged as one of the most exciting players in the game, including stealing second, third and home the other day in a whirlwind trip around the bases. He's hit .325 with 16 stolen bases and 41 hits, the first player in MLB history to reach those numbers in his first 30 games. Meanwhile, the Mets are bad. With a payroll that shattered the previous record high, they are six games under .500 and 18½ games behind the Braves, who are on pace to set a single-season home run record.
The Rays roared out of the gate with 13 consecutive wins. The A's were an unfathomable 10-45 at one point. Luis Arraez chased .400 into late June. The Angels beat the Rockies 25-1, the third-largest margin of victory in a game since 1900. And fans are loving it all. Average attendance is up over 2,200 fans per game compared to the same juncture in 2022. Ten teams are up more than 4,000 per game.
With the first half in the books, let's give all 30 teams a grade on their performance, relative to their preseason expectations. We'll start with the best team of the first half.
MLB season preview: Rankings, playoff odds for all 30 teams
Jump to a team:
AL East: BAL | BOS | NYY | TB | TOR
AL Central: CHW | CLE | DET | KC | MIN
AL West: HOU | LAA | OAK | SEA | TEX
NL East: ATL | MIA | NYM | PHI | WSH
NL Central: CHC | CIN | MIL | PIT | STL
NL West: ARI | COL | LAD | SD | SF
Atlanta Braves: A+
Q: Is Acuna having the best power/speed season of all time?
The Braves' record speaks for itself: They're on pace for 109 wins; only last year's Dodgers, with 111 wins, have won more games since the National League went to a 162-game schedule in 1962. They've done it with prodigious power up and down the lineup, but let's focus on Acuna, the NL's first-half MVP after hitting .331/.408/.582 with a ridiculous 79 runs scored in 89 games (he hasn't missed a game).
Years ago, Bill James created a fun formula he called the power/speed number, which is simply the harmonic mean between a player's home runs and stolen bases. The highest single-season number belongs to Alex Rodriguez in 1998 at 43.9, when he hit 42 home runs and stole 46 bases for the Mariners. Acuna has 21 home runs and 41 steals, putting him on pace for 38 home runs and 75 stolen bases, which would give him a power/speed number of a staggering 50.2.
Tampa Bay Rays: A
Q: Is this the best Rays team ever?
I think so, even though this grade was an A+ until a seven-game losing streak last week put a damper on an otherwise stellar first half. They won 100 games in 2021 and went 40-20 and reached the World Series in 2020, but we have to discount that shortened season. The Rays have been the best team for most of the first half, playing in the best division, and they've done it in well-rounded fashion: second in the American League in fewest runs allowed, second in runs scored, first in steals and, as usual, good on defense.
Most impressively, they've won despite major injuries to starters Jeffrey Springs (out for the season), Drew Rasmussen (now out for the season) and Tyler Glasnow (back after missing nearly two months). Most teams would wilt after losing that type of quality, but with Shane McClanahan leading the way, the Tampa pitching factory continues to find replacements. We'll see if the pitching can hold up at this level, and while the offense has regressed the past month, 100 wins is still in the works.
Arizona Diamondbacks: A
Q: Is rookie outfielder Corbin Carroll the best player in the NL?
For much of the first half, Carroll was dueling Acuna for the highest WAR in the NL before Acuna pulled away in late June. Carroll, the favorite to win Rookie of the Year, already draws comparisons to Mike Trout (let's not go there just yet) and Mookie Betts (makes more sense given their similar stature). He's one those hitters who makes contact and the ball just carries further than you think it will, especially to the opposite field. He's also been big in clutch situations and, like Trout and Betts, already seems to possess that special aura few players have. The Diamondbacks are tied for first place and he's been the team MVP.
Texas Rangers: A
Q: Are they really this good?
Some saw the potential of this happening -- I did not and certainly not with Jacob deGrom making just six starts before going down with elbow surgery. But the offense has absolutely crushed it all season. Corey Seager has a case as first-half MVP even though he missed 32 games. Jonah Heim and Josh Jung have extended the lineup depth while Leody Taveras is having a breakout season. I don't see the offense regressing much, if it all, in the second half.
So it will come down to the pitching, which hasn't been quite as impressive of late. The Aroldis Chapman pickup was a good one, giving Texas much-needed bullpen depth and even a backup closer option to Will Smith (who has been solid but homer-prone in recent seasons). Martin Perez has struggled of late, although Dane Dunning has replaced deGrom and been excellent. If Nathan Eovaldi and Jon Gray stay healthy, the best record in the AL should be in play, but a 3-8 stretch to close the first half also means the Rangers' lead over the Astros is just two games.
Cincinnati Reds: A
Q: Is De La Cruz the Greatest Show on Earth?
Well, this is still a world where Ohtani exists and Acuna is putting up a historic power/speed season, so for now let's say De La Cruz is the most exciting show east of the Mississippi and north of Atlanta. He's like a switch-hitting Eric Davis who plays shortstop with 80-grade raw power, 80-grade speed and an 80-grade throwing arm -- all in the body of an NBA shooting guard. His talent bends the mind.
De La Cruz's call-up jump-started the Reds to that 12-game winning streak that rocketed them from Nowheresville to first place in the NL Central. Players like TJ Freidl, Jake Fraley and rookie Matt McLain have been huge contributors. As fun as the first half has been, I can't give them an A+ since the starting pitching has generally been atrocious -- 28th in the majors with a 5.69 ERA. That has to step up in the second half.
Miami Marlins: A
Q: Can they do this again in the second half?
Let's give this a firm "maybe ... possibly ... yes, why not?" I'd like to be more emphatic with that statement but this is the Marlins we're talking about, and they haven't had a winning record in a full season since 2009. They're 14 games over .500, so they would have to collapse and go 27-42 in the second half to finish with a losing record. I think the starting pitching is too good for that to happen.
The key to securing a postseason berth won't be Arraez's chase for .400 (unlikely now that he's dropped to .383), but how many innings they'll get out of Eury Perez in the second half (he was sent down to the minors to limit his innings, but should be back soon) and whether Sandy Alcantara can rediscover the feel for his changeup that made him the Cy Young winner a year ago. And keep this in mind: The Marlins have made the postseason just twice in a full season in franchise history and won the World Series both times (1997 and 2003). How about an all-Florida Fall Classic?
Baltimore Orioles: A-
Q: Is the starting pitching good enough?
Let's twist this around. Is the lineup good enough to carry what is pretty clearly a mediocre rotation? The offense was terrific in April and May, averaging 5.02 runs, but that dropped to 4.5 in June and they scored just nine runs in their first four games of July -- though they bounced back, scoring 14 against the Yankees and 15 against the Twins before the All-Star break. Overall, they're fifth in the AL in runs and ninth in runs allowed (which undersells the offense, since Camden Yards is now a pitcher's park).
The Orioles are still sorting through their roster, trying to decide whether to play Jorge Mateo or Jordan Westburg or Ramon Urias or Gunnar Henderson or Adam Frazier and so on -- and it's not exactly clear if this is optimally working. They've gotten poor production at first base, and Mateo and Frazier have soaked up a lot of at-bats with sub-.300 OBPs. Neither Mateo nor Frazier played in the final game before the break and I'd love to see manager Brandon Hyde stick with the kids moving forward. They even lucked into an Aaron Hicks hot streak, which is unlikely to continue given his struggles in recent seasons with the Yankees. The Orioles remain in strong playoff position and have nearly caught the Rays, but it's probably not realistic to expect better pitching (barring a trade or two, though the trade market might be thin there), so the offense will have to dominate in the second half.
Philadelphia Phillies: B
Q: Are they finally kicking into gear?
Not so fast. They went 18-8 in June with a plus-35 run differential, which looks impressive, but it was also their softest month schedule-wise they'll have all season (they went 6-0 against the A's and Tigers). Maybe that's a little unfair, because they also won three of four in Arizona, swept the Cubs, took both series from the Dodgers and Mets and swept the Rays last week. In the end, it's still going to have to be the lineup that delivers, and the Phillies are just eighth in the NL in runs per game. The focal points remain Trea Turner, who's still playing well below his career norms, and Bryce Harper, who is getting on base but not hitting for much power -- he has just three home runs in 56 games. If those two get hot, Philly should get another wild-card appearance.
Boston Red Sox: B
Q: Are the Red Sox what we thought they were going to be?
Pretty much: good offense and mediocre starting pitching that has battled injuries (exactly as one might have predicted). They were shuffling along at .500 and seemingly going nowhere until they won eight of nine heading into the break to climb five games over .500 and sit just two games out of a wild-card spot.
For all the criticism thrown at ownership and the front office the past two seasons, the Red Sox are building around a fun new group of players to go alongside Rafael Devers: Jarren Duran suddenly looks like a good player, hitting .320 and lining doubles all over the place; Brayan Bello has been solid in the rotation; Masataka Yoshida, coming over from Japan, has been an on-base machine; Triston Casas has improved each month even if he hasn't made the same impact; and James Paxton is healthy (!) and just won AL Pitcher of the Month in June. How the Red Sox fare the next two weeks will determine whether he can be a valuable trade or they keep him and make a run for the AL Wild Card Series.
San Francisco Giants: B-
Q: Is there enough starting pitching here?
There have been some positives that have kept the Giants in the playoff race: The offense, while not as dominant as 2021, is back to mixing and matching with effectiveness, even though free agent Mitch Haniger has been a nonfactor (Michael Conforto has been better). The bullpen has been outstanding, even though it has carried a huge workload. That's because the back of the rotation has been a mess and manager Gabe Kapler has resorted to using openers -- more out of desperation than as a strategic maneuver. Bottom line: The Giants need more from Alex Wood, Ross Stripling and Sean Manaea.
Milwaukee Brewers: B-
Q: Can they make the playoffs with the lowest batting average in the NL?
Hey, this is the NL Central we're talking about, so yes. It might take only 84 or 85 wins to win the division, and the Brewers can do that even hitting .232. Of course, we know batting average is hardly the way to measure offense, but they're also last in OBP and slugging. What's remarkable, though, is that the Brewers are seven games over .500 even though Corbin Burnes has been mediocre (for him), Brandon Woodruff has made just two starts, Eric Lauer is in the minors and Freddy Peralta has a 4.70 ERA. How the heck are they 49-42? It really feels like they should be 10 games under .500 instead of just a game behind the Reds, so kudos once again to manager Craig Counsell.
Toronto Blue Jays: B-
Q: Can they go all the way without Alek Manoah?
At least, that was the question June 27, after Manoah had a start in rookie ball where he allowed 11 runs, 10 hits and 2 home runs in 2â…” innings and it felt like we might not see him again this season. Then he suddenly reappeared with the Blue Jays to make a start just before the break and looked like the All-Star of last year, allowing one run in six innings against the Tigers with eight strikeouts and no walks.
It has always felt like a legitimate postseason run was predicated on Kevin Gausman and Manoah serving as a dominant duo, backed up by one of the better offenses in the league. Gausman has been superb and if Manoah is back, that means it's up to the offense. In 2020 and 2021, the Jays had four regulars slug .500. Last year, only backup catcher Danny Jansen did. This year, nobody is (Bo Bichette leads the team at .496). Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is not only way below his 2021 level but also below 2022, Alejandro Kirk has fallen off from his terrific 2022, newcomer Daulton Varsho is struggling with a .277 OBP and Matt Chapman has cooled off after a red-hot April (.384 and 21 RBIs, but just 18 RBIs since).
Here's the bottom line: The Blue Jays have hit 102 home runs, but given up 117. They need to turn that around to maintain their precarious grip on a wild-card spot and make a run at the Rays and Orioles.
Chicago Cubs: C+
Q: They have the best run differential in the division. Does that mean they could make a run in the second half?
It's possible, especially if Marcus Stroman and Justin Steele keep performing as one of the best 1-2 combos in the league. Christopher Morel has lifted the offense after starting the season in the minors, but he needs more help. It would be nice to get a little more from Seiya Suzuki, and first base has been problematic. The biggest key may be free agent starter Jameson Taillon, who is 3-6 with a 6.15 ERA -- and Chicago has lost 12 of his 15 starts. The Cubs have underperformed compared to their run differential, so yes, one way to look at that is they're due to start winning a few more close games and stay competitive in a weak division.
Los Angeles Dodgers: C+
Q: Where will Freddie Freeman rank on the all-time list among first basemen?
As he puts together another outstanding season -- he recorded his 2,000th career hit and has climbed above 52 career WAR -- Freeman is as good as ever at age 33, which suggests he has a lot more good baseball in the tank. Heck, seven more seasons averaging 150 hits per year would put him over 3,000 in his career, so that could be in play. I think he ends up in the top 10 on the all-time first basemen list -- somewhere behind the big three of Lou Gehrig, Albert Pujols and Jimmie Foxx, maybe close to Jeff Bagwell (79.9 WAR) and Jim Thome (73.1 WAR).
As for the Dodgers, they've had to rely heavily on Freeman, Mookie Betts and Clayton Kershaw, and it is certainly odd to see the pitching scuffle like this (especially Julio Urias). They're 10th in the NL in runs allowed after leading the league the past six seasons. But, hey, they're still on pace for 93 wins and tied for first place and I wouldn't want to bet against them.
Cleveland Guardians: C+
Q: Will the bullpen carry them to the AL Central title?
It has certainly been the strength of the team, leading the majors in bullpen ERA (3.09), lowest batting average allowed (.214) and lowest OPS (.648). The only negative is that closer Emmanuel Clase has lost five games and blown seven saves. Three of those came in the 10th inning -- but all three came after the Guardians had scored in the top of the inning, so you can't blame them all on the zombie runner. Overall, the Guardians have to feel like they haven't played their best baseball, and yet, they head into the second half with a half-game lead over the Twins in the division. They'll need more production from Josh Bell, Steven Kwan and Andres Gimenez, and rookie starters Tanner Bibee (3.34 ERA) and Logan Allen (3.47 ERA) will have to continue to pitch well.
Houston Astros: C+
Q: Are they as good as last season?
Right now, no. Injuries to Jose Altuve at the start of the season and to Yordan Alvarez currently have hurt the offense, along with Jose Abreu's weak first half, but the biggest disappointment has been the rotation. I thought Cristian Javier might be a sleeper Cy Young contender and while he's 7-1, his ERA is high at 4.34 and he's been more hittable than the dominant starter we saw down the stretch and throughout October of last season. Hunter Brown has been inconsistent as the replacement for Justin Verlander, flashing top-of-the-rotation potential at times, but he's not quite there yet. Injuries to Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia and Jose Urquidy have tested the depth.
Really, with all the injuries and some of the subpar performances, this could have easily turned into a disaster of a first half, and at least that didn't happen -- they're just two games behind the Rangers despite a lot going wrong. The Astros need Alvarez to get healthy, Abreu to start clicking and Javier to emerge as the strong No. 2 behind Framber Valdez. If that happens, they're certainly capable of another October run and becoming the first repeat champion since the 2000 Yankees.
New York Yankees: C
Q: Can they make the playoffs if Aaron Judge's toe doesn't heal sooner rather than later?
It's a problem. The offense was bad in April (Judge was good but not dominant), excellent in May (Judge was on fire with 12 home runs and a 1.356 OPS in 21 games) and Alvaro Espinoza-wretched in June (Judge played two games) and July, leading to the firing of hitting coach Dillon Lawson and hiring of MLB Network analyst Sean Casey, who has never served in a coaching capacity. There is still no timetable for Judge's return from a torn ligament and the rest of the lineup is full of holes: The catchers haven't hit, Josh Donaldson has been unplayable and booed like that "Spider-Man" Broadway flop, and Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Volpe and Oswaldo Cabrera are struggling to hit .200. The pitching, especially the bullpen, has been effective, but they need the big guy.
Pittsburgh Pirates: C
Q: Is this all there is?
It appears so. They had that stretch in April where they won 11 of 12 games and then immediately turned back into the Pirates and lost 11 of 12. Still, you can call it progress after losing 100 games the past two seasons. The bright spots have been Mitch Keller's improvement, closer David Bednar and Andrew McCutchen's return. Unfortunately, Oneil Cruz's injury nine games into the season casts a cloud over everything. We'll have to wait until 2024 to see Cruz and Elly De La Cruz face off for unicorn bragging rights.
Minnesota Twins: C
Q: Did they blow a chance to run away with the division?
I think so, yes. Three of the other teams in the AL Central are terrible and the Guardians didn't even play that well, yet the Twins are a game under .500 and in second place. Indeed, they're 9-1 against the Royals but they only have three games left against them, so they'll have to start beating some other teams. Here's a strange stat: The Twins are 8-4 in extra-inning games, but just 9-15 overall in one-run games, which helps explain why they're 45-46 despite a plus-27 run differential. There are disappointing performances up and down the lineup, but especially from Carlos Correa (92 OPS+) and Byron Buxton (101 OPS+), who are supposed to be their cornerstones. It's hard when your stars aren't performing like you need them to. The rotation has been the bright spot, as Twins starters lead the majors in strikeout rate and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Los Angeles Angels: C-
Q: Is Shohei Ohtani having the greatest season of all time?
Unfortunately, Ohtani is once again the only storyline in Anaheim as the Angels disappoint yet again -- and now Mike Trout is out with a fractured wrist. Despite Ohtani's heroics, the Angels had already started to fade before Trout and Anthony Rendon (talk about bad contracts) both went down July 3. They were 40-32 on June 16 but lost 13 of their next 18 to fall under .500 entering the All-Star break. As for Ohtani, he leads the majors in OPS, home runs and total bases while holding batters to a .189 average as a starter (ranking 12th in lowest OPS allowed). We'll see how the blister issue affects him on the mound in the second half and whether he can stay hot enough at the plate to challenge Judge's AL record of 62 home runs. It's an indescribably spectacular season and we'll certainly dig into where it ranks all time later this summer. So, yeah, A++++ for Ohtani and a collective F for the rest of the team.
Washington Nationals: C-
Q: Is anything interesting going on here?
Well, Lane Thomas has been kind of fun and Jeimer Candelario should return something at the trade deadline, but for the most part, not really. Keibert Ruiz, CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore haven't broken out and the Nats need them to. Josiah Gray was the All-Star and has been the best of the young players, although his FIP is much higher than his ERA, so we'll see how he does in the second half. Look, they could have been the A's or Royals of the NL and that hasn't happened, so that's a small positive, I guess.
Detroit Tigers: C-
Q: Are Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene good enough to build around?
The two former top picks (Torkelson was drafted first overall in 2020 and Greene fifth overall in 2019) debuted last season to mixed reviews, with Torkelson even going back down to the minors at one point. I'd say the jury remains out, especially on Torkelson. He got off to a slow start in April and now sits on a 98 OPS+, which won't cut it as a first baseman. There are some positives going on here: His hard-hit rate, average exit velocity and barrel rate are all much improved from last season and all above MLB average. He also controls the strike zone well enough. Still, it hasn't translated into big numbers yet and he's struggled at Comerica Park (nine of his 12 home runs are on the road). He's a dead-pull hitter, so pitchers attack him away: He's hitting .203/.272/.335 on pitches on the outside half of the zone. Unless the hit tool suddenly improves, his upside remains limited.
Greene, meanwhile, has looked more like the top prospect he was heading into 2022. He was heating up in May (.365/.435/.573) when he landed on the injured list with a stress fracture in his fibula. He returned just before the All-Star break and went 4-for-7 in two games to put him at a solid .303/.373/.462 overall. The strikeout rate is still a little high at 28.3% and he's relied on an unsustainable .420 BABIP to hit .300. So while Torkelson has underperformed compared to his expected results, Greene has overperformed. Greene has the raw power to drive the ball over the fence, but that's limited right now by a low launch angle of 5.5 degrees. Bottom line: Both still have a lot to improve upon before we can label them foundation-type players -- and they're certainly young enough to get there.
Seattle Mariners: C-
Q: Is this the most disliked team in Mariners history?
That was the theory Seattle Times columnist Larry Stone recently proposed. The argument has its merits as for the first time in more than two decades, the Mariners had legitimate World Series aspirations after last year's thrilling playoff run. Instead, they refused to significantly increase the payroll, the offense has stagnated with too many strikeouts and the pitching hasn't been good enough to make up for it.
Maybe most frustratingly, Julio Rodriguez is not matching his rookie exploits, hitting .249 with 13 home runs but also 101 strikeouts in 87 games. So the Mariners are currently a boring, mediocre team. However, they did respond right before the break, closing with seven wins in nine games against the Rays, Giants and Astros, including taking three of four against Houston. They also start the second half with a 10-game homestand, so if there's a run to come, maybe it starts now.
San Diego Padres: D
Q: Umm, this wasn't supposed to happen.
That's not a question, but the sentiment is understood. The Padres were one of the biggest stories of the first half for the wrong reasons. As bad as the offense was in April, they actually had a winning record that month; so they haven't been better even as the offense has finally shown some life. They're one of the teams that has underperformed their run differential: 5-15 in one-run games, including a back-breaking 0-8 in extra-inning games. They've also hit poorly with runners in scoring position, so that should also improve (as it has in June and July). Still, they've dug themselves a hole and at 43-47, they have to go 44-28 the rest of the way just to get to 87 wins -- the number for last year's final NL playoff team.
Colorado Rockies: D-
Q: Is there anything to look forward to in the second half ... or the next half decade?
Ouch, that's cruel. There isn't much to be excited about right now, that's for sure. Ezequiel Tovar can pick it clean at shortstop and has some developing power at the plate. Ryan McMahon and Elias Diaz are nice complementary players, but there is zero star power in Colorado. Some analysts like the farm system, but recent first-round picks Zac Veen and Benny Montgomery have struggled, with young infielder Adael Amador now the top prospect and he's probably a couple of years away from the majors. There doesn't appear to be much pitching help on the immediate horizon -- and even factoring in Coors Field, the rotation has been a mess.
Chicago White Sox: F
Q: Did they miss their window?
It looks like it. The White Sox peaked with this group in 2020 (35-25, lost wild-card series to Oakland) and 2021 (93-69, lost ALDS to Houston) and it felt like they had the young talent base to keep it going, but it hasn't happened. Injuries were a huge problem last season as they finished .500, but that isn't a viable excuse this season. Tim Anderson has collapsed, Lance Lynn has a 6.03 ERA, Dylan Cease hasn't replicated his Cy Young runner-up season and guys like Eloy Jimenez and Andrew Vaughn have been "meh" rather than elite hitters. The two major additions were Andrew Benintendi, who has one home run, and Elvis Andrus, who has a .551 OPS, so it was a terrible offseason for GM Rick Hahn. In just two years, they went from an exciting group of players in their prime to a thoroughly uninteresting club struggling in a bad division.
St. Louis Cardinals: F
Q: What the heck happened?
The Cardinals are headed for their first losing season since 2007 and through 90 games have a .422 winning percentage, which would be the franchise's worst since 1919. So, yeah, Cardinals fans have never seen a team this bad. The rotation has struggled, the offense has been inconsistent (although not terrible) and the defense has been uncharacteristically subpar (they've allowed an MLB-worst .327 average on balls in play) and mistake-prone. The saddest sight has been Adam Wainwright, who's on his last legs after such a great career. You never want to see a player of his stature go out like this, but he's struggling just to make it through the season. And you have to wonder if manager Ollie Marmol will either -- or even someone like Paul Goldschmidt, who could be on the trade block if the Cardinals decide to tear things down.
New York Mets: F
Q: Do they have any chance to rally if Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander aren't aces?
No. And right now, they're not aces. Scherzer is giving up home runs like he's throwing BP to Mark McGwire in 1998 and Verlander's strikeout rate has plummeted. Now, they're hardly the biggest reason the Mets are in this position, but that's kind of the point: Outside of Kodai Senga, the other starters have struggled, the bullpen lacks depth, manager Buck Showalter has made some questionable in-game decisions and the lineup doesn't hit for enough average or get on base enough. It sort of feels like they need to win every Scherzer and Verlander start.
Is there time to turn things around? Sure, but as with the Padres, it will take a huge turnaround and the Mets have shown fewer signs of doing that than San Diego, which is why the Mets might even turn into trade deadline subtractors. Given the team's record-breaking payroll, that would make them one of the biggest flops of all time.
Oakland Athletics: F
Q: Will they break the 1962 Mets' modern record for losses?
No, but it sure looked like it for a while. The Mets finished 40-120. The A's, even with perhaps the most unlikely seven-game winning streak of all time, were 20-60 on June 25, putting them on pace to go 41-121. They've won a few games since, so they're now on a solid 45-117 pace. I think they will avoid 120 losses -- in fact, they might not even finish with the worst overall record.
Kansas City Royals: F-
Q: Is there any progress being made here?
I sure don't see it. None of the young hitters -- Bobby Witt Jr., MJ Melendez, Vinnie Pasquantino, Nick Pratto -- have really broken out, although only Melendez has been bad and Pasquantino gets a pass after tearing a labrum in his right shoulder that will force him to miss the rest of the season. Brady Singer has regressed after a nice 2022. Jordan Lyles and Zack Greinke are a combined 2-20. The farm system might be the worst in baseball. They've yet to win three games in a row. They're on pace to go 46-116. They might be worse -- gulp -- than the A's.