“What really worries me is the Padres, who are under .500 and 9.5 games out of first place (10.5 games through 28).”
Ha-Sung Kim’s San Diego Padres have been humiliated by MLB.com. On Aug. 28, MLB.com listed the 10 biggest surprises of the first half of the season. At the top of the list is the National League West, which is shaping up so differently than expected.
The NL West was expected to be dominated by San Diego this season. The addition of Xander Bogaerts and the return of Fernando Tatis Jr. were expected to bolster the team. The Los Angeles Dodgers, on the other hand, have not been as aggressive in rebuilding as in previous years. This was seen as a golden opportunity for San Diego to catch the Dodgers off guard.
As expected, the Dodgers struggled a bit. But San Diego isn’t in first place. It’s the Arizona Diamondbacks. San Diego isn’t in first, second, or third place. They’re 37-42 (.468 winning percentage) and in fourth place in the National League West after losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 28. They’re a whopping 10.5 games behind Arizona. Even the San Francisco Giants narrowly edged out the Dodgers for second place. It’s completely unexpected.카지노사이트
As MLB.com put it, “The National League West is a mess. The debate was whether San Diego would overtake the Dodgers in the regular season like it did in last year’s postseason. So far, Arizona and San Francisco have done it.”
One of the keys to Arizona’s ascendancy has been rookie sensation Corbin Carroll. Carroll is second in the National League in stolen bases, passing Bae Ji-Hwan (Pittsburgh Pirates). He also leads the National League in key hitting categories. He’s the No. 1 Rookie of the Year, and he’s a serious MVP contender for Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta Braves). Add to that Merrill Kelly, a reverse export from the KBO, and you have a formidable one-two punch with ace Zach Gallon.
San Diego will need to hold off not only the Dodgers, but also the rising stars of Arizona and San Francisco to make it to fall ball. The lineup is loaded with big names, but the production is lackluster. Even Ha-Sung Kim isn’t far behind the big-name hitters. This is not good for the team. Manny Machado and Bogart are struggling. Tatis and Juan Soto are the only ones carrying the team.
“The Dodgers are holding on despite some injuries, but the real concern is San Diego, which has a winning percentage of less than 5 percent and is a whopping 10.5 games out of first place,” according to MLB.com. It’s no wonder Kim’s shoulders are so heavy. Kim had a three-hit game against Pittsburgh. But the team lost again.