Contender or Pretender on MLB Teams Flying Out of the Gate
Pennants aren't won or lost in April, to state the obvious.
At the same time, these wins count the same as the ones tallied in late September; teams don't have to give them back.
With that brief preamble in mind, let's gaze around MLB, take stock of the clubs that have flown out of the gate and decide if they're contenders or pretenders in the scope of the 162-game grind.
In this case, "flown out of the gate" needs to be taken in context. Every club has played between 11 and 14 games entering play Tuesday, and the Baltimore Orioles own the best winning percentage (.727) with their 8-3 record.
The squads we'll examine, then, fall into two categories: division leaders with a winning percentage of .600 or better and teams that have significantly exceeded preseason expectations.
Houston Astros
1 of 6
After opening the season 3-3, the Houston Astros have won five of their last six and sit atop the American League West at 9-4.
The offense is holding its own despite substandard contributions from shortstop Carlos Correa (.234 average, .613 OPS) and outfielder George Springer (.231 average, .295 on-base percentage).
Meanwhile, 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel seems to have put it back together after a disappointing, injury-marred 2016.
Through three starts, the left-hander is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA and has held opposing hitters to a .116 average.
The West should be a competitive division top to bottom, but the 'Stros are as advertised: young, balanced and skilled enough to retain first place.
Verdict: Contender
New York Yankees
2 of 6
The New York Yankees entered the season as the much-hyped Baby Bombers, a full-bore youth movement backed by a nearly bottomless budget.
A biceps injury to star catcher Gary Sanchez and early struggles by ace Masahiro Tanaka threatened to toss a wet blanket on the proceedings.
Shortstop Didi Gregorius hasn't played because of a shoulder issue, and first baseman Greg Bird has dealt with underperformance and a balky ankle.
Still, the Yanks have won eight straight en route to a 9-4 start.
They've gotten contributions from the likes of veteran Matt Holliday and rookie Aaron Judge. More than anything, as Billy Witz of the New York Times opined, "the Yankees might really be something when they get the entire band together."
Questions linger in the starting rotation, but if New York can endure this much early adversity and win anyway, a playoff push is in the offing.
Verdict: Contender
Colorado Rockies
3 of 6
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants were supposed to be the class of the NL West.
Instead, it's been the Colorado Rockies.
At 9-5, the Rockies are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for division supremacy, with the Dodgers and Giants sitting in third and fourth place, respectively.
To reiterate, it's April, but the Rockies aren't a flash in the Mile High pan.
Quite the contrary; Colorado has enjoyed a strong start while ranking 23rd in MLB in runs scored.
The Rockies have succeeded on the strength of their arms, particularly the bullpen. Whether that's an early anomaly or the work of new manager and former pitcher Bud Black remains to be seen. The loss of ace Jon Gray to a fractured foot could set them back.
"The inexperience of the starting rotation will test us," Black said, per Nick Groke of the Denver Post. "But the best teacher will be in the fire."
Until further notice, Colorado is living up to its status as a postseason sleeper and making it clear that "pitching" and "Rockies" aren't mutually exclusive.
Verdict: Contender
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Baltimore Orioles
4 of 6
The Baltimore Orioles were supposed to hit, and they have to some extent, though they rank in the bottom half in runs scored thus far.
Manny Machado is an MVP candidate, Trey Mancini has been a revelation and other bats figure to come around.
The starting pitching remains a question mark, with No. 1 Chris Tillman working his way back from a shoulder injury and stud closer Zach Britton on the disabled list with forearm trouble.
Yes, the O's are 8-3 and lay claim to first place in the noisy AL East. How long will that last, though, with the pitching suffering from the disabled-list blues and the offense failing to crush like it can?
Verdict: Pretender
Detroit Tigers
5 of 6
An aging club that many—including yours truly—tapped for a rebuild this winter, the Detroit Tigers are going for it.
So far, they have paced the AL Central with an 8-4 record and taken two of three from the defending Junior Circuit champion Cleveland Indians.
They've done it with limited contributions from former Triple Crown winner and undisputed offensive leader Miguel Cabrera, who is battling back trouble.
You can view that as good news (Miggy will return!) or bad news (Miggy is on the fritz!). Mostly, though, it highlights a painful truth: This club is cobbled together around veteran pieces and is a key injury or two away from oblivion.
Can the Tigers compete for a postseason berth? Sure. Is that a safe bet less than a month into the season? Not so much.
Verdict: Pretender
Cincinnati Reds
6 of 6
First off, good for the Cincinnati Reds.
An afterthought when the season commenced, the Reds have gone 8-5 to lead the NL Central. That includes a 5-1 record against the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, two teams that are actually expected to compete for a playoff spot.
The Central, it doesn't need to be said, belongs to the defending champion Chicago Cubs. The Cards and Bucs may mix it up in the wild-card scramble, while the Reds and Milwaukee Brewers are ticketed for the basement.
That's the narrative, and it's probably 100 percent accurate.
For now, the Reds are offering an alternate story. It's April. Good for them.
Verdict: Pretender
All statistics are current as of late Monday and courtesy of MLB.com and Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted. Diamondbacks were not listed due to late result.
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