When MLB suspended Robinson Cano for 80 games after testing positive for PEDs, I wondered where the Seattle Mariners would be three months from now. We still don't know, but the first two weeks have been very, very good.
The Mariners are 11-5 since Cano's suspension and are now only a game behind the defending World Series champion Houston Astros in the AL West. At the time of Cano's suspension, the Mariners were 1.5 games behind both the Astros and the Los Angeles Angels. Could it be that the Mariners are better off without Cano? I picked them to win the AL pennant, but didn't expect them to do so without Cano. The Mariners have gained at the expense of the Angels who have gone 5-10 during this same period despite the presence of Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Shoehai Othani in their lineup and are now 5.5 games back of the Astros. The Oakland A's are treading water at a game over .500 while the Texas Rangers remain in the basement.
The Cleveland Indians have pulled away from the pack in the AL Central finishing May with six wins in a row and victories in 8 of their last 10 games. Is another 22 game winning streak in the Tribe's future? The Tribe is the only team in the division with a winning record. The Detroit Tigers 26-30 is nothing to write home about, but they are only 4.5 games back of the Tribe. The Minnesota Twins continue to underachieve, but at six games back cannot be entirely counted out. The same cannot be said for either the Kansas City Royals or the Chicago White Sox who are both double digits behind the Indians in the loss column. The Chisox own the worst record in MLB after they followed up an 8-18 March/April with an 8-19 May.
Yet it could be worse. While the Chisox are 13 games back of the Indians in the AL Central, the Baltimore Orioles are 21.5 games back of the Boston Red Sox in the AL East despite having a better record. But the Orioles aren't the only team in the AL East who had a bad May. The Toronto Blue Jays also replicated the Orioles 9-19 record in May. Unlike the O's, the Jays were 16-12 in March/April. They've fallen from 5 to 13.5 games back of the Bosox who continue to have MLB's best record. But the New York Yankees remain hot on their tail at only 1.5 games off the pace. The Tampa Bays Rays are the AL East version of the A's treading water at just over .500. How long will they continue to tread following the trade of closer Jesus Colome and outfielder Denard Span to Seattle?
The NL East might very well be MLB's most exciting race with the youthful Atlanta Braves a half game up on the Washington Nationals and a game up on the Philadelphia Phillies. After a 13-16 March/April, the Nats had MLB's best record in May with a 19-8 mark. Despite the success of both the Braves and the Phillies, most are picking the Nats to repeat. Even if this comes to pass the Braves and Phillies are strong NL Wild Card contenders. Of course, at this time a month ago, it was the New York Mets who were leading the division. But after going 17-9 in March/April, the Mets collapsed to a 10-18 mark in May and are now a .500 club. Will the real Mets stand up in June? Their May record was identical to that of the Miami Marlins who posted the same mark in March/April.
But the Mets weren't the only NL club with a bad May. The Arizona Diamondbacks had an even worse reversal of fortune. After having the NL's best record in March/April at 20-8, the D'Backs 8-19 record in May was the Senior Circuit's worst output highlighted by yet another injury to A.J. Pollock. Having lost 7 of their last 10 games, Arizona is now 1.5 games behind the Colorado Rockies. The NL West is fast turning into the AL Central. Both the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are 26-30, but are only 4 games back of the Rockies. Even the last place San Diego Padres are only six games out after a respectable 15-13 record in May.
The Milwaukee Brewers now have the NL's best record following a 19-8 May. At the end of last month, the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and Brew Crew were separated by 1.5 games. The Brewers now have a four game lead on the Cubs and a 4.5 game lead on the Cardinals. Having lost 7 of their last 10 games, the Bucs are now 6.5 games off the pace. The Cincinnati Reds remain well behind, but after a 13-15 May no longer have the NL's worst record. Perhaps they will make this division a five way race at this time a month from now.
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