MLB Report Card Grades for Each Team at the Start of June
As the calendar flips to June and schools across the country prepare to go out for summer, it's time to issue another round of report card grades to all 30 MLB teams.
Clubs are graded on a curve based on expectations, which means rebuilders will be judged a bit differently than contenders.
In the end, though, we're focused on results: how well a team is hitting, pitching and—most of all—how much it's winning.
Arizona Diamondbacks
1 of 30
Record: 28-28
The Arizona Diamondbacks have exceeded expectations after trading first baseman and franchise icon Paul Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals in December and losing ace Patrick Corbin in free agency.
Sure, they're only .500. But their plus-43 run differential is the third-best in the Senior Circuit. Zack Greinke is pitching like a legitimate ace, and even without Goldschmidt, their offense is third in the NL with a .773 OPS.
A postseason berth isn't certain in a National League loaded with contenders, but these Snakes aren't slithering away anytime soon.
Grade: B
Atlanta Braves
2 of 30
Record: 30-26
After winning the National League East in 2018, the Atlanta Braves are again in the hunt for the division this season.
They're currently in second place behind the Philadelphia Phillies, but they need to boost a bullpen that's tied for 18th in baseball with a 4.36 ERA. They could also use a postseason-tested ace by the trade deadline.
But with an offensive core built around burgeoning stars such as Austin Riley and Ronald Acuna Jr., the Braves are dangerous both now and well into the future.
Grade: B+
Baltimore Orioles
3 of 30
Record: 17-39
The Baltimore Orioles' pitching staff is last in baseball with a 5.73 ERA. Their offense hasn't picked up the slack, either, as it ranks in the bottom 10 in virtually every meaningful offensive category. Unsurprisingly, their minus-111 run differential is the worst in the game.
Trey Mancini has emerged as a bright spot with a .300 average and .883 OPS. Let the debate rage over whether the O's should keep or flip the 27-year-old slugger at the trade deadline.
Either way, it's going to be a long, dreary season in Baltimore.
Grade: F
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Boston Red Sox
4 of 30
Record: 29-27
After a bumpy start, the Boston Red Sox are above .500. They own a plus-33 run differential and are looking a bit more like themselves.
Their deep offense ranks fourth in hits and seventh in OPS, thanks in part to the continued emergence of Rafael Devers.
Meanwhile, ace Chris Sale has emerged from an uncharacteristic early funk to record a 2.23 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 32.1 May innings.
The defending champs are looking up at the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East, but that could change in the weeks to come.
Grade: C-
Chicago Cubs
5 of 30
Record: 31-23
The Chicago Cubs are tied for ninth in ERA (3.97) and third in OPS (.810). After last season's ignoble NL Wild Card Game exit, they're the top team in the NL Central...for now.
They play in a deep division and have lost five of their last six. The Milwaukee Brewers are nipping at their heels. They do not want a repeat of 2018's one-and-done against the Rockies.
Team president Theo Epstein and Co. should be on the hunt for reinforcements anywhere and everywhere leading up to the trade deadline.
Grade: B
Chicago White Sox
6 of 30
Record: 26-29
The Chicago White Sox are within shouting distance of .500 in the weak AL Central. Could this be the year the rebuild bears fruit?
Don't bet on it.
The ChiSox sport a minus-53 run differential and are likely to trade veteran first baseman and key offensive cog Jose Abreu in his contract year.
There are reasons to be excited for the future on the South Side, but the future isn't now.
Grade: C-
Cincinnati Reds
7 of 30
Record: 26-30
For a last-place team, the Cincinnati Reds are tough to discount.
Most interestingly, they have a plus-41 run differential. That's second-best in the NL Central and fourth-best in the National League.
Attribute it to a pitching staff that's fourth in the game with a 3.66 ERA. Ace Luis Castillo is a Cy Young candidate with a 2.45 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 69.2 innings.
Unfortunately, the offense hasn't held up its end of the bargain. As a group, Reds hitters rank 21st in OPS (.717) and 25th in average (.234).
Grade: C-
Cleveland Indians
8 of 30
Record: 28-27
The Cleveland Indians are buried in second place in the AL Central. Their run of three straight division titles is in serious jeopardy.
The Indians' major malfunction is offense. They're hitting .222 as a team with a .672 OPS, both of which rank among the bottom five in baseball.
Ace Corey Kluber, meanwhile, is on the shelf with a broken pitching arm he suffered on a comebacker.
It might be time for the Tribe to trade key assets and start fresh.
Grade: D
Colorado Rockies
9 of 30
Record: 27-27
After two consecutive postseason appearances, the Colorado Rockies have looked like also-rans in the NL West behind the perennially top-notch Los Angeles Dodgers, fast-rising San Diego Padres and lurking D-backs.
Their offense has been ho-hum considering their Mile High home stadium, while their pitching is tied for 25th with a 5.03 ERA.
The Rox might get rolling. They have perennial All-Star third baseman Nolan Arenado. At the moment, however, they're gazing up at three teams in their own division.
Grade: D+
Detroit Tigers
10 of 30
Record: 21-32
The Detroit Tigers were supposed to be bad as they continued their rebuild. They haven't disappointed. By which we mean they have disappointed.
We could reel off stats, including former franchise icon and future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera's two home runs in 187 at-bats.
The point is, the Tigers should consider selling bankable assets such as left-hander Matthew Boyd at or before the trade deadline and accept the ongoing losing.
Grade: D
Houston Astros
11 of 30
Record: 37-20
The Houston Astros boast the second-best ERA (3.45) and OPS (.841) in baseball. In other words, they're an incredibly balanced club.
The rotation is fronted by co-aces Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole. The bullpen paces MLB with a 2.91 ERA.
Then there's the lineup, with emerging stars such as George Springer, Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa joining everyone's favorite diminutive second baseman, Jose Altuve.
If you're betting early on a World Series winner, here's the safe money.
Grade: A
Kansas City Royals
12 of 30
Record: 18-37
The Kansas City Royals didn't expect to contend in 2019. Boy, were they right.
The Royals, who won the World Series in 2015, are now in the basement of MLB's weakest division with a minus-44 run differential. By any measure, veteran skipper Ned Yost's bunch is sunk.
KC is attempting to rebuild its farm system and aim for relevance in three or four years. For now, the reality is losing, losing and more losing.
Grade: F
Los Angeles Angels
13 of 30
Record: 26-29
The Los Angeles Angels want to build a legitimate title contender around Mike Trout, the best player on the planet.
However, the Halos are sputtering under .500 with a minus-11 run differential. Their pitching staff is 24th with a 4.99 ERA.
The Angels have intriguing players in their farm system, whom they could use to acquire pieces at or before the trade deadline. Would it be enough, especially with Los Angeles limping under the weight of Albert Pujols' albatross contract ($87 million owed through 2021)?
Probably not.
Grade: D
Los Angeles Dodgers
14 of 30
Record: 37-19
The Los Angeles Dodgers have won six straight division titles. A seventh is within their grasp.
They lead the NL with a plus-80 run differential, rank third in all of baseball with a 3.56 ERA and are fourth in the game with an .807 OPS.
Toss a dart and you'll hit a valuable contributor on this incredibly deep club, but let's spotlight Cody Bellinger. The 23-year-old leads the NL in batting average (.382), OPS (1.239) and RBI (51).
If he hasn't already taken the title of brightest Dodgers star from legendary-but-fading ace Clayton Kershaw, he soon will.
Grade: A
Miami Marlins
15 of 30
Record: 19-34
We knew the Miami Marlins were going to be bad. The Marlins knew they were going to be bad. That was the plan. Call it the old stink and sink.
Still, to speak for skipper Don Mattingly...glug.
The Marlins have won seven of their last 10 games. Even with that, they have a minus-81 run differential and the worst record in the NL.
They've also traded a raft of cost-controlled talent in recent years that could have made them contenders. Once again: glug.
Grade: F
Milwaukee Brewers
16 of 30
Record: 31-25
After making it to Game 7 of the 2018 National League Championship Series, the Brewers are locked in a battle with the Cubs in the NL Central.
Their main weapon is reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich, who is proving last season was no fluke with an MLB-leading 21 homers, .314 average and 1.139 OPS.
The Brew Crew needs to buttress a pitching staff that ranks 15th with a middling 4.33 ERA. If they do that, they're positioned for another October run fueled by Yelich's exploits.
Grade: B
Minnesota Twins
17 of 30
Record: 37-17
The Minnesota Twins have won eight of their last 10 games. They lead the AL Central by a comfortable 9.5 games. Their plus-112 run differential is tops in the game.
In other words, they are not merely playoff hopefuls, but legitimate World Series contenders.
They're fifth in baseball with a 3.71 ERA. Their offense, paced by 25-year-old Jorge Polanco and his .988 OPS, has scored an MLB-leading 324 runs.
Will they level off? Probably. But even a tamped-down version of these Twinkies would be a force to be reckoned with.
Grade: A
New York Mets
18 of 30
Record: 27-28
New York Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen tried to build a winner last winter. So far, he's constructed a mediocre enigma.
The Mets aren't out of it in the crowded NL East, but they haven't emerged as strong contenders, either. Their offense ranks 18th with a .738 OPS as veterans such as second baseman Robinson Cano and third baseman Todd Frazier, among others, struggle.
Their once-vaunted starting pitching, meanwhile, sports a 18th-ranked 4.49 ERA. Even ace and reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom has wobbled.
Add it up, and you have mediocrity defined.
Grade: D+
New York Yankees
19 of 30
Record: 36-19
The New York Yankees have been hosed by injuries in 2019.
Here's a partial list of players who are out: pitchers Luis Severino, James Paxton, Dellin Betances and Jonathan Loaisiga; infielders Didi Gregorius, Miguel Andujar, Troy Tulowitzki and Greg Bird; and franchise-defining sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton.
Some will return in 2019; others likely won't. Somehow, though, the Yanks are atop the AL East with a plus-74 run differential.
That's thanks to a stout bullpen, the emergence of some youngsters (infielder Gleyber Torres, outfielder Clint Frazier, right-hander Domingo German) and the resurgence of others (catcher Gary Sanchez).
If and when the likes of Judge and Stanton return, imagine how frightening these Yankees could be.
Grade: A
Oakland Athletics
20 of 30
Record: 29-27
After winning 97 games last season and earning a wild-card berth, the Oakland Athletics are keeping their heads above .500 and their eyes on October.
Their offense is 11th with 276 runs and 10th with 474 hits. They've won eight of their last ten.
Third baseman Matt Chapman boasts a .900 OPS after winning a Gold Glove and finishing seventh in AL MVP voting last season.
The A's won't catch the Astros for the division, but they will undoubtedly make low-key deadline moves to address a number of needs if they're in the hunt come July. Credit executive Billy Beane and his gang for building yet another potential small-market Cinderella.
Grade: B
Philadelphia Phillies
21 of 30
Record: 33-22
The Philadelphia Phillies lead the NL East. They have the division's best run differential at plus-35 and have won seven of their last 10.
Rhys Hoskins is the homegrown slugger all Philadelphia fans should root for. If offseason acquisition Bryce Harper crushes like he can, this offense could be truly unstoppable.
The Phillies could also add more pitching (remember, Dallas Keuchel is available). In all, though, it's hard to argue with an emerging club that's 11 games over .500, in first place and might not be firing on all cylinders.
Grade: A-
Pittsburgh Pirates
22 of 30
Record: 27-27
On record alone, the Pittsburgh Pirates are contenders in the NL Central. Dig a little deeper, though, and you'll find fool's gold.
The Pirates are 22nd in team ERA at 4.83. Their offense has scored the third-fewest runs in the NL at 212. And they're the only NL Central squad with a negative run differential at minus-63.
The emergence of Josh Bell and his 1.112 OPS is a great story for the Bucs. But they should eschew contending in 2019 and try to build a winner around the 26-year-old first baseman—whom they control through 2022—in the coming years.
Grade: D+
San Diego Padres
23 of 30
Record: 29-27
The San Diego Padres are fringe contenders in 2019. By next season, you can remove the "fringe."
The Friars accelerated their rebuild by signing superstar infielder Manny Machado and have managed to remain above .500 despite losing top prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. to a hamstring injury in April.
Tatis is close to a return, which should buoy an offense that ranks 22nd with a .713 OPS.
Add emerging ace Chris Paddack, lights-out closer Kirby Yates and the Pads' eighth-ranked 3.97 staff ERA, and there's suddenly more than good weather to get excited about in San Diego.
Grade: B
San Francisco Giants
24 of 30
Record: 21-33
These are dark days for the San Francisco Giants.
The even-year dynasty that netted three titles between 2010 and 2014 is a thing of the past. Beloved players, including iconic catcher Buster Posey, aren't what they used to be.
They should trade aggressively at the deadline, swapping bankable pieces such as closer Will Smith and ace Madison Bumgarner to net as many prospects as possible.
After that, it'll be a stretch of losing and regrouping for executive Farhan Zaidi and his brain trust.
Grade: D-
Seattle Mariners
25 of 30
Record: 24-34
After a hot start, the Seattle Mariners have settled into their presumed role as last-place rebuilders.
As July approaches, the M's should scour their roster for any and all viable trade chips and keep stocking their farm system.
That could include outfielder and 2018 All-Star Mitch Haniger—who ought to fetch a hefty return despite his .229 average in 2019—and veteran slugger Edwin Encarnacion, among others.
No matter what, expect general manager Jerry Dipoto to live up to his trade-happy reputation.
Grade: D
St. Louis Cardinals
26 of 30
Record: 26-28
The St. Louis Cardinals went shopping over the winter and came home with a big-ticket item: first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
They acquired Goldy in a blockbuster trade with the Diamondbacks, and he subsequently signed a five-year, $130 million extension with St. Louis.
So far in 2019, he's hitting .268 with an .808 OPS. Those are solid numbers, but they haven't been enough to carry a Cardinals offense that's 13th with a .251 average and 16th with a .748 OPS. Meanwhile, Cards pitchers rank 17th with a 4.39 ERA.
Hence their tenuous position in the NL Central scuffle and the possible need for more moves.
Grade: C-
Tampa Bay Rays
27 of 30
Record: 34-19
What's not to love about the Tampa Bay Rays? The scrappy, tiny-budget underdogs are taking on the Yankees and Red Sox. A classic David and Goliath.
Thus far, the Rays' slingshot has been strong.
Tampa Bay paces baseball with a 2.93 staff ERA. Incumbent AL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell is averaging a career-best 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings. On offense, Tampa Bay ranks eighth with a .775 OPS.
Can they hang with New York and Boston into September and beyond? Signs point to "yes."
Grade: A
Texas Rangers
28 of 30
Record: 27-26
The Texas Rangers have been better than many predicted. Still, they're idling around .500 and their pitching staff has a 27th-ranked 5.07 ERA.
On the positive side, 25-year-old outfielder Joey Gallo has gone from a one-dimensional masher to a guy who's posted a .422 on-base percentage, cracked 15 homers and owns an AL-best 1.057 OPS in 2019.
Will he keep it up and become a superstar? Good question.
Will the Rangers retool or rebuild? That's an even better one.
Grade: C
Toronto Blue Jays
29 of 30
Record: 21-35
The Toronto Blue Jays have lost seven of their last 10 and have a minus-52 run differential. They aren't good, to put it bluntly.
The Jays probably won't finish in last place in the AL East thanks to the even-more-woeful Orioles, but they'll be finished well before the July 31 trade deadline.
Right-hander Marcus Stroman, who boasts a 2.74 ERA in 12 starts and is under club control through 2020, should be the first piece they dangle.
After that, it's fire-sale time north of the border.
Grade: D-
Washington Nationals
30 of 30
Record: 24-32
The Washington Nationals rank 17th in home runs with 69, 19th in slugging percentage at .414 and 19th in OPS at .737. Still, with stellar hitters such as Anthony Rendon in the lineup, they haven't been undone by the loss of Bryce Harper.
Instead, the Nats are under .500 and in fourth place in the NL East because of a bullpen that ranks last in baseball with a 7.14 ERA.
Washington needs to do something (such as signing free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel). Otherwise, it'll squander a top-notch starting rotation fronted by Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin and Stephen Strasburg that ranks sixth in the game with a 3.74 ERA and could be a postseason buzzsaw if given the chance.
Grade: D-
All statistics current entering play Thursday and courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.
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