With that in mind, let’s take a look at each team’s biggest surprise in the first two weeks or so. Maybe it’s positive, maybe not, but it’s certainly not what anyone expected.
Blue Jays: Matt Chapman is Superman
Chapman was twice in the top 10 of MVP voting and has always been a little underrated, especially on defense. After a setback in 2021, he also had a small recovery season on the record in 2022. But even members of Chapman’s family didn’t expect him to hit .489 and lead the majors in total bases after the first two weeks of the season. In a team full of thugs, he was the best.
Orioles: The Slow Start by Cedric Mullins
There is no room for error in the AL East. The Orioles are a game over .500, and yet they’re already six games away from first and fourth place. Uff. Adleyrutschman was amazing, and we all love the fun celebrations, but Mullins — one of the few guys on this team to have made an All-Star Game — was terrible in the early days, hitting .184. However, he still finds ways to help, both defensively and with a few homers and six stolen bases.
Rays: The Lowe Bros
Everything about the Rays was wonderful, but the real showstoppers were Brandon Lowe and Josh Lowe. (Who not only aren’t technically brothers, they don’t even pronounce their last names the same.) Both Lowes are top of the league in almost every offensive category, even if they give broadcasters headaches in every game.
Red Sox: Struggling Pitcher Veterans
In 2017, Corey Kluber and Chris Sale finished 1-2 in the AL Cy Young Awards voting. In 2023, they’ll both be rocked as starters for the Red Sox. In their first five games after Kluber’s matchup with the Rays on Thursday, they were a combined 1-4 with an ERA well over 9.00. (Apologies to Red Sox fans this isn’t Adam Duvall as it would have been before a broken wrist interrupted his searing start).
Yankees: Gleyber’s back
You youngsters may not believe this, but there was legitimately a time when you wondered if Gleyber Torres would be an annual MVP nominee. There have been some struggles in recent years, but right now Torres is the best hitter on a star-studded team, and is on base more than half the time. This, uh, will work.
Guardians: Josh Bell’s blackout
The Guardians received plenty of well-deserved praise for signing Bell to add some much-needed power to their offense. He was incredible for the Nats before last year’s Juan Soto trade. But he was tough after the trade, and that has continued in Cleveland, with Bell hitting .109 without a homer in 12 games. This team still seems to need as much power as it did last year.
Royals: Aroldis Chapman looks like his old self
The market for Chapman has been thin this offseason for a variety of reasons, and it left you wondering if Kansas City would be his last stop. But while he’s not throwing (quite) as hard as he used to, he’s rebounding from a disastrous 2022 and throwing as well as he has in a while. Chapman hasn’t given up a single run in five appearances and is hitting nearly two batters an inning. It certainly changes a lot of potential discussions about the trade deadline if Chapman is still throwing like that.
Tigers: Akil Baddoo comes to the base
Last year was an absolute nightmare for the Tigers and the scary thing about this year’s start is that it could only get worse. Not much is going right for this team at the moment – please try to look away from Javier Báez – so let’s try to find something positive. OK, how about this: After a big bummer in 2022, Akil Baddoo, a genuinely personable player and a great baseball story, was called up last weekend and posted a .375 OBP in his first four games. That’s a good number! Let’s try to focus on that.
Gemini: Seriously, how about this rotation?
There are so many guys to credit for the Twins’ fantastic start on the hill that has them boasting the second best ERA in the game. And we don’t want to dismiss the bullpen, which was great. But the rotation of Pablo López, Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Kenta Maeda and Tyler Mahle was… perhaps the most impressive in esports yet?
White Sox: The rotation falters
The one thing White Sox fans haven’t had to worry about in the past is Lance Lynn. He’s the guy who shows up and gives you a solid start, or rather every five days. It’s his whole thing. Well, maybe they should start worrying. He has an ERA of 7.31, while Michael Kopech is at 6.75 and Lucas Giolito is at 6.00. Chicago’s offense was solid, but this team needs more from their rotation behind Dylan Cease.
Angels: Hunter Renfroe is stepping up
The Angels are always looking for the third man to match their two superstars. They signed Anthony Rendon as that person. Taylor Ward was that person at times last season. So far this season, it’s Hunter Renfroe who actually passes Mike Trout and almost passes Shohei Ohtani. With Rendon off to a slow start again, Renfroe may need to keep going.
Astros: Luis Garcia, not the ace yet
The notoriously slow-working Garcia was thought to need some adjustments early on, but many believed this could still be a pitcher who could be the Game 1 starter for the Astros in the postseason. But he gets hit hard in the beginning and, perhaps most worryingly, he walks. He’ll be fine for sure, but this division looks more competitive than it has in a while. Not much time to find out, Luis.
Athletics: Hey, who’s that backup catcher?
You take what you can with the A’s, and Carlos Pérez, who hasn’t played in the majors since 2018, has eight hits and one homer in 13 at-bats.
Mariners: Here comes Kelenic
Gosh, what if Jarred Kelenic is finally a star? The homer he hit at Wrigley Field Wednesday is the highlight-headliner, but Kelenic showed everything Mariners fans (and, before that, Mets fans) have been waiting for all season. The Mariners’ ceiling, if Kelenic is like this all year round, is higher than anyone imagined.
Rangers: The ace so far is Jon Gray
Of all the guys that Rangers brought in to shore up the rotation, Gray was along with Martín Pérez (another guy who was already here) who’s been the stud so far. Rangers will be reeling from Corey Seager’s injury, but the pitching here looks legit.
Braves: Bryce Elder is going nowhere
Two weeks before the start of the season, Elder was sent to Triple-A Gwinnett. But when Max Fried got injured on opening day, Elder was called up and left a pretty terrific Fried impression. The 23-year-old right-hander has not given up a run in his first two starts.
Marlins: Jesús Luzardo could be pinned
It was very impressive what the Marlins were able to achieve last year with Luzardo, a once highly regarded candidate who the A’s traded for Starling Marte in 2021. Luzardo has made an extra leap this year, compiling three quality starts and pitching better than Cy Young award-winning teammate Sandy Alcantara.
Mets: David Robertson looks like Edwin Diaz
So far so good for replacing Díaz, who hasn’t given up a run in 6 1/3 innings and has two saves. Robertson has a lot of experience and it shows so far. He was everything the Mets could hope for.
Nationals: Joey Meneses has no home runs
It’s really sad that Joey Meneses doesn’t have home runs, isn’t it? Unfortunately, the World Baseball Classic fun didn’t carry over.
Phillies: Aaron Nola’s struggles
Many thought Nola was a secret contestant for Cy Young this year, but it hasn’t materialized just yet. His first three starts have been a mess and he is 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA. He’s still not walking folks – it’s just that everyone is hitting him really hard.
Brewers: Brian Anderson is thriving
The Forever Marlin – or at least that’s what it felt like – had a miserable last season in Miami and is making a fresh start in Milwaukee. So far, so great: He’s got three homers and 10 RBIs and drives the offense of a first-place team.
Cardinals: Miles Mikolas isn’t reveling in his overtime
The Cardinals gave Mikolas a contract extension just before his opening day, and he’s hit hard in each of his first three games thereafter. He has a 10.05 ERA so far and the Cardinals are desperate for Adam Wainwright to come back and salvage their rotation.
Cubs: The top of the rotation are nails
The Cubs made the decision to focus on run prevention this offseason and it’s paying off so far. Justin Steele and Marcus Stroman appear perfectly suited to play in front of this superb defense and they’ve given up three runs in 30 innings together so far.
Pirates: Ke’Bryan Hayes didn’t figure out the bat
You wondered if this was going to be Hayes’ year, but so far he’s hit .157 with no homers. Still plays a great third though!
Reds: TJ Friedl could be a breakout star
That noise you heard was all your fantasy owners rushing to pick up the Reds outfielder who hits .350 and once stole 30 bases at the Minors.
D-BACK: Drey Jameson looks ready
The D-Backs prospect both started and worked from the bullpen, and he did exactly what Arizona wanted at every point. Will he take over Madison Bumgarner’s rotation spot anytime soon?
Dodgers: Pick Your Outfield Surprise
Maybe it’s Trayce Thompson thrashing four home runs. Maybe it’s James Outman looking ready from day one. Maybe it’s… gasp… Jason Heyward, who’s kind of starting home runs himself. The Dodgers have a system, and obviously it works. Apparently for everyone.
Giants: Logan Webb’s slow start
In many ways, Webb represents the Giants’ entire strategy: Find solid players and make them better, maximize everything they’re trying to do. Webb has been that guy for the past few years, but so far he’s 0-3 with a 6.35 ERA. Luckily, the gap will be filled by Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood because the Giants are still the Giants.
Padres: Will Manny get started right away?
Of all the stars on this team, Manny Machado should be the greatest. After all, he almost won the NL MVP award and locked himself into the offseason with the Padres for years to come. But he’s been the creakiest out of goal so far, only on Thursday hitting his first homer of the season and carrying a .283 OBP.
Rockies: Elias Díaz has transformed into Johnny Bench
Díaz hit .228 with a .281 OBP last year — not easy at Coors Field. He must have saved it for this year: He has a .419 OBP and is hitting a .579.