What each team learned in the first half 

Buckle up, everyone: The second half is here. After a first half that featured plenty of memorable moments, it's time for a post-break run teeming with storylines. With 11 of 15 American League teams within five games of a postseason berth and eight NL teams within a half-game, all signs are pointing toward it being one to remember.

But, before we can get to that second half, here's a look at what each team learned during the first half.

AL EAST

Blue Jays: Nothing has been easy … and nothing will be
Look at the Blue Jays’ roster on paper. They have the names and talent to be competing with the Rays for the American League East, but reality hasn’t been nearly as kind. While the Blue Jays have kept their heads above water, they find themselves in a crowded Wild Card race and continue to battle their own inconsistencies. If anything, we’ve learned that the AL East is a significant problem for the Blue Jays, particularly the emergence of the Orioles, and they’ll be playing catchup the rest of the way. -- Keegan Matheson

Orioles: They're a legitimate postseason contender
Sure, Baltimore went 83-79 during the 2022 season, a marked improvement from the first three years under general manager Mike Elias and manager Brandon Hyde. But the Orioles then had a fairly quiet offseason, acquiring only complementary pieces such as right-hander Kyle Gibson, infielder Adam Frazier and catcher James McCann. With a budding young core already in place, would those moves be enough for Baltimore to seriously contend in ‘23? The answer has been a resounding yes. The O’s finished the first half at 54-35 (a season-high-tying 19 games above .500) and sat two games back of the Rays in the AL East. So Baltimore is well on its way to getting into the postseason for the first time since 2016. -- Jake Rill

Rays: Their lineup is deeper and more star-studded than we thought
Entering the year, everyone knew the Rays would pitch well and play good defense. That is the foundation of all the success they’ve enjoyed since 2008. But these Rays have been one of the Majors’ best offensive clubs, ranking second with 506 runs scored and fourth with a .783 OPS. They were especially hot the first two months of the season, when seemingly everyone in the lineup was clicking at the same time, before cooling off near the break. They have top-tier talent in Randy Arozarena, Wander Franco, Yandy Díaz and the underrated Isaac Paredes, and they have further depth in surprise standout Luke Raley, Josh Lowe, Harold Ramírez and Jose Siri, among others. -- Adam Berry

Red Sox: Yoshida’s skill set plays in MLB
There were people outside the Red Sox organization who questioned if Masataka Yoshida’s skill set would play in MLB when the Red Sox signed him to a five-year, $90 million contract in December. Those questions have been answered. Yoshida was one of the best hitters on the Red Sox in the first half, and one of the most pure hitters in the game. He closed out the half with seven consecutive multi-hit games. Yoshida has a keen eye and doesn’t strike out much (.382 OBP, 27 walks, 36 strikeouts). The one thing Red Sox manager Alex Cora has realized is that he needs to make sure Yoshida gets enough rest as he adapts to the more rigorous playing schedule in MLB. -- Ian Browne

Yankees: They miss Aaron Judge. Oh, do they ever
As remarkable as last season was, we might have somehow underestimated Aaron Judge’s impact on the Yankees. Sure, removing the reigning American League MVP would hurt any lineup, but how else can we explain the near-immediate cratering of the Bombers’ offense? They posted the lowest batting average (.218), lowest on-base percentage (.288) and third-fewest runs (117) after Judge crashed into the right-field wall at Dodger Stadium on June 3, prompting the dismissal of hitting coach Dillon Lawson on July 9. As general manager Brian Cashman said, nothing they’ve seen this year has resembled “Yankees DNA,” and we still don’t definitively know when Judge will play again. -- Bryan Hoch

AL Central

Guardians: They still have the never-quit attitude from 2022 … it just took a while to see it
Cleveland got off to a really slow start after the expectations skyrocketed following its unexpected playoff push in ’22. The Guardians added a power bat in Josh Bell over the offseason and everyone was ready to see an even better team in ’23. Instead, Bell struggled out of the gate and so did the rest of the team. When the pitching was on, the hitting was off (and vice versa). But over the last month, the Guardians have heated up and carry some momentum heading into the second half of the season. -- Mandy Bell

Royals: They still have a long way to go
Few expected this club to contend with how many young players made up the everyday lineup with an iffy pitching staff at best, but the club's struggles have been even more alarming than anticipated. The Royals are 39 games under .500 and are on pace to shatter the franchise record for losses (106 from 2005). With so much attention on the pitching entering the season after hiring new pitching coaches Brian Sweeney and Zach Bove, it’s actually been the offense that’s been most disappointing. Kansas City is building its future around a young core of hitters, but in the first half, the club’s offense ranked second-worst in runs scored (337) and wRC+ (81) and fourth-worst in strikeout percentage (24.7%). Some turbulence was expected with this young group, but it’s clear there’s a lot of work to do to instill confidence that the pieces are in place for the club’s next contending team. -- Anne Rogers

Tigers: Retooled bullpen is still very good
Scott Harris traded Gregory Soto and Joe Jiménez and watched Andrew Chafin leave in free agency, departures that left Detroit with a slew of young relievers, led by new closer Alex Lange, and some waiver-wire pickups. The group not only has picked up where Soto, Jiménez and Chafin left off, they’ve changed the dynamic of how manager A.J. Hinch uses his bullpen. Detroit went 6-0 in bullpen games – in which relievers covered seven or more innings -- from June into early July. While Lange and setup man Jason Foley garnered All-Star consideration, Brendan White joined a group of relievers with nasty stuff who can cover multiple innings. -- Jason Beck

Twins: The pitching is truly elite
This is the best Twins pitching staff in recent history, if not one of their best ever. It was jarring to many when the Twins traded defending American League batting champion Luis Arraez to Miami for Pablo López, but that served as the finishing move for a rotation that has exhibited both tremendous depth and a high ceiling. The Twins lead baseball in rotation WAR, per FanGraphs, innings pitched by starters and rotation FIP and are second in rotation ERA. -- Do-Hyoung Park

White Sox: Luis Robert Jr. is a superstar/top 5 talent in the game
This point was pretty much known simply by watching Robert Jr. effortlessly cover from left-center to right-center, launch long home runs and swipe a base or two. But after a rough April, Robert Jr. has put it all together on a consistent basis over the last 2 1/2 months. He ranks second in the American League with 26 home runs, has done less chasing of pitches out of the zone and, most importantly, has stayed healthy. He has been one of the bright spots from a rough White Sox first half. -- Scott Merkin

AL West

Angels: Even with improved depth, injuries led to slide before break
​​The Angels are better equipped to deal with injuries than last year but their rash of injuries late in the first half proved to be too much for them to handle, as they lost nine of 10 heading into the break. Losing Mike Trout for four to eight weeks with a left hamate fracture is a huge blow, while the Angels also have several other key contributors on the injured list such as shortstop Zach Neto, infielder Brandon Drury and relievers Matt Moore and Ben Joyce. -- Rhett Bollinger

Astros: You can’t have enough pitching
Yes, it seemed the Astros did have plenty of pitching last year when they ran through the playoffs and had the luxury of stashing a pair of accomplished starters (José Urquidy and Luis Garcia) in the bullpen in October, but injuries have ravaged their rotation in ‘23. Four rookie starting pitchers logged 35 starts in Houston’s 91 games in the first half. They have helped keep the rotation competitive and Urquidy is close to returning, but they could use another arm. -- Brian McTaggart

Athletics: Relying on young pitching is a high risk
When you enter the All-Star break holding the worst record in the Majors, there are usually several factors leading to those struggles. For these rebuilding A’s, the gamble of entering the regular season with a starting rotation that featured three rookie pitchers and another two who had yet to go through a full Major League season did not pay off. The return of 2022 All-Star Paul Blackburn does seem to have stabilized things a bit. After losing 50 of their first 62 games, the A’s have gone 13-17 since June 6. -- Martín Gallegos

Mariners: That the skeptics had a point
The one glaring criticism to Seattle’s offseason was that it didn’t do enough to bolster a lineup that had clear limitations last year despite reaching the postseason for the first time in 21 years. While their biggest addition, Teoscar Hernández, had a strong June and has shown some flashes of elite power, he also has a 30.9% strikeout rate that ranks eighth-highest in baseball. The other big add, second baseman Kolten Wong, would’ve probably been designated for assignment by now if it weren’t for his $10 million salary. By not adding more last offseason, they’ve pigeonholed themselves to either swing big at the Deadline, where they have less control, or hope that what they’ve got makes a turn. -- Daniel Kramer

Rangers: They’re legit contenders … but can they continue to hold off the Astros?
Texas concluded the first half with a two-game lead atop the American League West, but that lead was as large as six games at the end of June. The Rangers have skidded to a 17-19 record over the last 36 games heading into the break, and the bullpen has continued to regress while the historic offense has cooled off tremendously and has struggled to drive in runners in scoring position. But it’s still one of the best starts in franchise history, and a dramatic leap over the last two years. The club is no doubt a legitimate contender in the American League, but the Astros won’t go away quietly. They’ll need to return to their early-season form if they want to secure the first division title since 2016. -- Kennedi Landry

NL East

Braves: They’re better than expected
The Braves have matched a franchise record with 60 wins through the first 89 games of the season. This first half becomes more impressive when you account for Max Fried (finished second in last year’s NL Cy Young balloting) and Kyle Wright (MLB’s only 20-game winner in 2022) combining to complete just 44 1/3 innings thus far. Bryce Elder has helped fill the void as he went from Triple-A Gwinnett’s Opening Day starter to All-Star within three months. But this team has also benefited from a healthy Ronald Acuña Jr., who sits at the top of a lineup on pace to break MLB’s single-season home run record. -- Mark Bowman

Marlins: Never count them out
In order to compile a 21-6 record in one-run ballgames, a club must possess a combination of things: the ability to execute, a strong bullpen, a bit of luck and a growing sense of belief. Not only are the Marlins 44-2 when leading after eight innings, but they also have 25 comeback wins because the lineup has scored 151 runs in the seventh inning or later -- third most in the Majors. -- Christina De Nicola

Mets: Money can’t buy success
It doesn’t hurt, of course, to have billions in the bank. But Steve Cohen’s efforts to build a competitor largely through free agency have fallen well short of the mark. Cohen has referred to it as a “bridge” strategy, (literally) buying the Mets time to build out their farm system while remaining competitive in the interim. Yet the owner’s nearly half-billion-dollar offseason spending spree, which ran the Mets’ 2023 payroll to a Major League record of around $375 million, has left them in fourth place at the All-Star break. Cohen can only hope his money buys more success in the second half. -- Anthony DiComo

Nationals: Learning curve while team builds for future
There have been ups and downs with learning curves while the Nationals' plans to build their next young core take shape this season. On the Major League level, Josiah Gray earned his first All-Star selection and MacKenzie Gore has shown signs of dominance on the mound, while the middle infield of second baseman Luis García and shortstop CJ Abrams is continuing to jell defensively. In the Minors, outfielder James Wood rose to the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball. -- Jessica Camerato

Phillies: And Harper and Turner haven’t even gotten going
The Phillies have the second-best record in baseball since June 2, and an argument can be made they did not even play their best baseball. Bryce Harper has not homered since May 25. It is the longest homerless drought of his career at 160 consecutive plate appearances. Trea Turner has struggled, although recently he has shown signs of life. If Harper and Turner get going in the second half, this offense could take off. -- Todd Zolecki

NL Central

Brewers: Defense wins in a weak division
The Brewers haven’t been particularly impressive on offense (22nd with an 89 wRC+) or pitching (15th with a 4.11 ERA), but they play great defense (first with 30 defensive runs saved) and they’ve been good enough to reside at or near the top of the National League Central all season. The Brewers finished the first half one game back of the Reds and, considering the Cardinals’ surprising collapse, look like the most talented team in the division, especially if they get starter Brandon Woodruff back from injury. -- Adam McCalvy

Cardinals: Poor pitching will likely tank the season
The Cardinals went into the season with questions surrounding their pitching and those issues have sabotaged them. Their starters have struggled throughout and have an ERA of 4.79, good for 25th in baseball. As for the relievers, they have blown an MLB-most 21 saves and have an ERA of 4.48, which ranks 24th in baseball. Ryan Helsley, an All-Star in 2022, is likely out another two weeks, meaning the Cards will continue to search for ways to close games. -- John Denton

Cubs: The record doesn’t match the underlying numbers
After two years of rebuilding, the Cubs infused the 2023 roster with veteran free agents with the goal of fielding a more competitive team. Led by All-Stars Marcus Stroman and Justin Steele, the rotation (4.02 ERA ranks fourth in the NL) has been solid. The bullpen weathered a rough start and has been the second-best group in the NL by ERA (2.95) since the start of June. Anchored by Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner up the middle, the defense has been reliable. And the underlying numbers – the Cubs are the only NL Central team with a positive run differential (+26) – indicate that the team should be better than its record. On the offensive side, the power has been lacking (.396 slugging percentage), leaving plenty of room for improvement in the second half. -- Jordan Bastian

Pirates: They’ve taken a step forward, but still have steps to take
The Pirates are on pace to have a better record than last season, albeit marginally, and are doing so despite dealing with a litany of injuries, both extended and season-ending. In recent weeks, they’ve called up prospects such as Henry Davis, Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo, and Endy Rodríguez and Quinn Priester might not be far off from making their debuts, too. That said, the Pirates aren’t quite ready for postseason contention. -- Justice delos Santos

Reds: Their speed can wreak havoc
The Reds tailored their offensive approach to the personalities of the young players and the plus speed they have. Manager David Bell stressed an aggressive style of baserunning, whether it's taking the extra base on a hit or stealing. A team that had 58 steals for all of 2022 had 50 steals just in the month of June and 112 overall to lead MLB. It's helped the team score more runs and keep opponents off balance. -- Mark Sheldon

NL West

D-backs: They're for real
The D-backs were expected this year to improve over last year’s 74-win edition, but few had them being the NL West team with the most days in first place at the All-Star break. The D-backs have gotten contributions from up and down their roster, including big hits from players who were called up from the Minors like outfielder Dominic Fletcher. As their young core continues to gain experience, their performances should get even better. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are the best 1-2 punch in baseball
When the Dodgers signed Freddie Freeman last spring, they couldn’t stop talking about a lineup that will feature Freeman and Mookie Betts at the top for a number of years. During the first half, Betts and Freeman were both locked in and are a major reason why the Dodgers are tied for first place in the NL West despite a bad pitching staff. Betts has 26 homers at the break, putting him in the mix for his first 40-homer season. As for Freeman, he’s just doing what he does, being a consistent presence and playing in every game in the first half. It’s a deadly combination at the top, and they could carry the Dodgers to a deep run in October. -- Juan Toribio

Giants: Patrick Bailey is the new heir apparent to Buster Posey
Bailey has been a revelation since debuting with the Giants in May, batting .293/.324/.493 with five home runs and 26 RBIs over 40 games. San Francisco is 23-13 when Bailey starts behind the plate, the clearest indication of the impact he’s made in his short time in the Majors. While he’s provided a key boost with his bat, Bailey’s calling card remains his glove, as he’s posted a 38% caught stealing rate and quickly won over the trust of the pitching staff with his game-calling and framing skills. Bailey’s emergence creates questions about former top prospect Joey Bart’s future with the organization, but the Giants believe there’s a scenario in which both catchers end up back on the 26-man roster, especially now that Bart is heating up at Triple-A Sacramento. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: Star power won’t carry the Padres
The San Diego roster is loaded with superstars. Some have underperformed in the first half. Some have lived up to expectations. If all of those superstars click in the second half, it'd go a long way. But that hasn't been the biggest issue. The Padres' depth -- the bottom of their lineup, their bench, the back of their rotation and the middle innings in their bullpen -- is tenuous. Can the rotation stay healthy? Can players like Jake Cronenworth and Trent Grisham step up? Will the Padres make a deal for another bat or a bullpen arm? Those questions – not any questions about their superstars – will define the second half. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: A pain sandwich is hard to digest
All you need to know can be seen in two snapshots – one before the beginning and one as the first half ended. During Spring Training, Gold Glove second baseman Brendan Rodgers writhed in pain when he sustained a dislocated left (non-throwing) shoulder. In Sunday’s final game before the break, it was lefty pitcher Kyle Freeland groaning in agony with a dislocated right shoulder. Fill that sandwich from the starting pitching side with German Márquez undergoing Tommy John surgery, Antonio Senzatela missing time due to knee surgery and sustaining an elbow injury in his second start, and Ryan Feltner sustaining a frightening skull fracture. Then add significant time-loss injuries to outfielders Kris Bryant and Randal Grichuk, first baseman C.J. Cron and designated hitter Charlie Blackmon, and the first half was quite unsavory. -- Thomas Harding