Major League Baseball’s Opening Day is as American as Wonder Bread. At some point in either late March or early April, millions of people rejoice in cracking open a cold beer, scarfing down a few hot dogs and watching nine professionals make magic happen on the diamond. Every Opening Day, each organization either causes their fans to dream of a World Series championship or throw their head into their hands in deep shame. With 2024’s Opening Day in the books, here are the top winners and losers of the first two weeks of the season.
In the National League (NL), the leaders and losers have (so far) been reasonably predictable. With the recent additions of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, the expectation for the Los Angeles Dodgers is the World Series. So far, the Dodgers are 11-7 (.661) and are the clear frontrunners to be division winners. With their plethora of stars, such as Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, along with their new pickups, the Dodgers should easily win their division. Recent $700 million contract winner Shohei Ohtani has shown no signs of slowing down his dominance, slashing a batting average of .338 and an On-Base plus Slugging percentage (OPS) of 1.048.
The Atlanta Braves are once again the leaders of the NL East with a record of 9-5 (.643), blasting baseballs to crush their opponents. Despite last year’s MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. slacking offensively, Matt Olson, Jared Kelenic and Marcell Ozuna thus far dominate the Braves starting lineup. The three of them are hitting over .950 for their OPS, and Ozuna and Olson have combined for 10 home runs so far (with Ozuna hitting seven of them). However, the Braves’ rotation has held them back severely, with every pitcher except Reynaldo Lopez having an ERA (Earned Runs Average) over 4.50.
To make matters worse, Spencer Strider, the 4th-place CY Young runner-up last season, recently shattered his UCL and will be out for the season. Although Atlanta is struggling with their rotation, the right trades and improvement from their starters will lead to dominance over the NL.
On the other half of the spectrum, the American League has seen serious losers and winners. The New York Yankees are statistically the best team in baseball with a record of 12-4 (.750), despite their CY Young winner Gerrit Cole out with an injury until late May at best. The young stars of Anthony Volpe and Juan Soto have channeled the spirit of Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth, smashing the ball across all of Manhattan and restoring Yankee hatred all across the nation after a disappointing 2023 season. So far, rays of sunshine have befallen Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
To contrast the Yankees, the Houston Astros’ start to the season is best described as the eye of a miserable thunderstorm. Last season, the Astros were just one game short from their third World Series in a row and fifth in seven years. However, after getting pummeled by the Texas Rangers in two straight games in Houston, the Astros have looked like shells of their former selves. As of April 15th, 2024, the Houston Astros have had their worst start since 2013 (when they were commonly referred to as the Lastros) and are the anchor in their division with a record of 6-11 (.353). Recent offensive meltdowns from Jose Abreu and Alex Bregman have made their infamously horrific bat of Martin Maldonaldo (who was released this past offseason) resemble Barry Bonds in his prime.
However, most of the blame can be attributed to the unfortunate injuries of Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander, who will return shortly to the dumpster fire occurring in Minute Maid. Despite recent failures, the youth pitching in Ronel Blanco (who recently threw 15 straight no-hit innings) and Christian Javier along with Houston’s lord and savior, Jose Altuve have kept the team from utter catastrophe. Although the Astros typically start slow to their seasons, fans are convinced Dusty Bakers’ toothpick could manage better than recent hire Joe Espada.
Every spring, millions of Americans rejoice in the nation’s pastime to watch their favorite team show up or throw up. Thus far, citizens living in Los Angeles or the Bronx have already prepared their champagne and are hopeful for a playoff push compared to those in places like Houston are suffering severely. The beauty of baseball comes from the bizarre uncertainty of the future.
