By Peyton Schultze

Dodgers’ ace Walker Buehler has been dominant in recent weeks, which could give him a chance at some serious accolades as the seasons winds down (via Los Angeles Times).

After a thrilling first half of the season that welcomed fans back to MLB ballparks and saw plenty of no-hitters, moonshots into the stands, and a serious sticky substance controversy that swept through the entire sport, Major League Baseball finally arrived at a thrilling All-Star event in Denver, Colorado that was headlined all week by the Angels’ superstar Shohei Ohtani. The two-way phenom participated in the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game in what was truly a defining moment in the sport, and truly packed up the grand, weeklong festivities in spectacular fashion.

Now, as the second half of the season gets ready to start right back up, several huge questions surround some of the biggest teams and superstars in the sport. From the reigning champions to surprising contenders, we answer some of the most pressing questions in baseball as the players get ready to take the field once again for the second half of what is turning out to be an exhilarating season in Major League Baseball.

Can the Giants Ride Their First Half Momentum to a National League West Upset?

Veteran players like shortstop Brandon Crawford have carried the Giants to the best record in baseball through the first half of the season (via NBC News).

Starting off with the team that owns the best record in baseball right now is the San Francisco Giants, certainly the most surprising contender of the 2021 season. The Giants entered the year with very few expectations, although many did expect them to take a slight step forward under manager Gabe Kapler. But not only has Kapler brought hope to the organization once again, but the manager has paved a path toward a possible NL West title over the mighty Dodgers and favored Padres, while setting up a very bright future in San Francisco once again.

The talk of the Giants will likely revolve around their World Series-winning veterans such as future Hall of Famer Buster Posey and the always-slick Brandon Crawford (who is amid the best season of his career at the plate), but the real power of this team relies in their dominant pitching on the mound. Inside of the friendly pitching confines of Oracle Park, pitchers Kevin Gausman, Alex Wood, Johnny Cueto, and Anthony DeSclafani have formed a dominant starting rotation that has given opposing offenses some serious headaches all season long. Gausman in particular is in the middle of a historic season in San Francisco after an All-Star recognition at the All-Star break, giving the Giants their first real ace in the rotation since Madison Bumgarner’s constant postseason heroics in the early to mid 2010’s.

Kapler’s Giants have also called upon players such as Mike Yastrzemski, Wilmer Flores, and Donovan Solano for production this season, while other key players such as Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria have dealt with some injuries over the course of the first half. This means that San Francisco may not even be at full strength quite yet, which is truly saying something in a division that includes two serious championship contenders in Los Angeles and San Diego. The Giants are a real contender right now with that nasty rotation and their veterans continuing to produce, and it will be a true dogfight until the very last game between the three teams contending in the NL West. The Dodgers may have the experience and the Padres may have the star power, but the Giants are just as good as any team in the league right now and could certainly walk away with a division title under their belt this season.

Are the Dodgers Still Viewed as the Premier Favorite in the League?

If players like Mookie Betts and Corey Seager can return to their 2020 forms in the second half of the 2021 season, Los Angeles will be tough to beat in the National League (via AP News).

The 2020 World Series Champions have had a fascinating first half of the season, featuring some key injuries to some of the biggest names in the sport, huge performances from key veterans, and a extremely serious controversy with potential to cause a disruption in their typically reliant clubhouse.

Yet here they are, once again terrorizing opponents with one of the best records in baseball. A lot of credit should be pointed toward an elite starting rotation headlined by All-Star ace Walker Buehler, future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, and the National League leader in wins with Julio Urias, but the Dodgers’ key to a second straight championship could rely on a suddenly dominant bullpen and a very streaky offense that has surprisingly struggled in close ballgames this year. The National League appears to be even better this year than it was a year ago, and the fearsome gauntlet that could be in front of the Dodgers could be tough to overcome if some of their troubling tendencies from the first half continue.

First, the Dodgers must get healthy. Their key core of Mookie Betts, Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, and Justin Turner have appeared in very few ballgames together this season, and the combination of all five can often be too much for even the best pitchers to overcome. Los Angeles has all of the offensive pieces needed to go head-to-head with any offense in the league, including excellent seasons so far from Chris Taylor, AJ Pollock, and Will Smith, but the team does need to find some consistency in their lineup in order to increase some declining statistics in categories such as hitting with runners in scoring position.

In addition, general manager Andrew Friedman may have to make a move for a starting pitcher. Following the shocking situation surrounding Trevor Bauer that will very likely, and deservedly, keep him out for the remainder of the season, the Dodgers need another starter to join in with their dominant trio. Lastly, the Dodgers need to be cautious not to overthink things at the deadline and split ways with a valuable young prospect who could be a key part of their future such as Gavin Lux or Josiah Gray. This is not a team that needs to go out and acquire a top talent such as Kris Bryant or Nick Castellanos, but should instead focus on adding maybe one more bullpen arm or one veteran starter who could fill in on the fly and help to take on the Giants and Padres for the rest of the year. Los Angeles is on track to once again reach the postseason and enter as huge favorites as long as they are at full strength, but beware of the huge threats that loom in the National League that will be looking to go right at the head of the defending champions.

Which American League Team Will be the Favorites Heading Into the Postseason?

Alex Cora has guided the Red Sox to a dominant first half, which has inspired Red Sox fans that this could be another year full of exciting playoff baseball in Fenway Park (via Boston.com).

The Astros, A’s, Rays, and White Sox may have some strong cases as the AL favorite entering the postseason if they are able to hang onto their playoff spots as the seeding stands right now, but there is simply not a more dangerous offense than the Boston Red Sox right now.

Our preseason sleeper pick has soared to the top of the AL East in 2021 under elite manager Alex Cora, as he has his team fired up and on a mission to return to the top of the baseball world. Outside of the loss of Mookie Betts, not much has really even changed from the Red Sox title-winning offense of 2018, and there is certainly a case to be made that they have even taken some steps forward since that season. JD Martinez has continued to prove that he is one of the best hitters in all of baseball with elite slugging numbers that have tortured AL East opponents this season, while All-Star Xander Bogaerts has once again shown why he is one of the best shortstops in all of baseball. Yet the emergence of third baseman Rafael Devers into one of the brightest young stars in baseball makes Boston’s lineup so deadly, especially when they are getting consistent numbers from other players like Alex Verdugo, Hunter Renfroe, and Kiké Hernández. If this pace continues, the Red Sox will enter the postseason with arguably the best offense in baseball and with their focus on another world championship, which would be their fifth in the past two decades.

The only real question for the Red Sox remains their starting pitching, especially since they have found some reliable production in the bullpen this year from arms like Matt Barnes and Garrett Whitlock. Right-handed ace Nate Eovaldi has proven to be an excellent option in Boston for Alex Cora after a great first half that saw him make the All-Star team, but questions remain after him among the starters. One of the game’s best left-handers in Chris Sale appears like he is due to finally make his long-awaited return to the mound in the coming weeks, but counting on a player coming off a serious injury could be very dangerous if he is not at full strength. This means that there might not be a more aggressive team at the deadline than the Red Sox, who will be on the lookout for a veteran arm with postseason experience. The one name to keep an eye on? Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, who could be on the move if the Nationals fall out of the playoff conversation. Scherzer would bring a spark to the Red Sox rotation and instantly make them favorites in the American League, which means the pressure in all on Chaim Bloom to get this team the pieces they need to get over the hump again.

Which Team Outside the Playoff Picture Right Now Will Emerge in the Second Half?

If the Angels can acquire some help in the starting rotation alongside Shohei Ohtani, they are capable of making a late push into the postseason (via Orange County Register).

This one is tough to answer since there are several possible options, yet teams like the Blue Jays and Yankees will struggle making up any ground in a loaded division with what appears to be two juggernauts at the top right now. Even the streaking Reds are almost worthy of consideration, but a path toward the playoffs seems very unclear with possibly three NL West teams making the postseason this year. But the Angels make the most sense of any team, especially with how dominant their offense has looked at times when arguably the best hitter on the planet has been sidelined for over a month.

The 2021 Angels begin and end with the greatness of Shohei Ohtani, the two-way player who has transformed the sport and made the Angels must-watch television all season long. It is hard not to appreciate just how captivating Ohtani has been all season long, and that is without even playing next to Mike Trout for most of the season, who has been sidelined with a calf injury. Yet Trout looks like he should return by the end of July, which could mean that the Angels could flex one of the best offenses in baseball. With the greatness of Trout and Ohtani together in the lineup, with serious help from 2021 breakout All-Star Jared Walsh, top-five third baseman Anthony Rendon, and the ever-so-consistent David Fletcher, there is no reason to think that Anaheim can’t go on a huge run toward the playoffs.

Just two weeks ago, the Angels were on the verge of a collapse that could force them into becoming sellers near the trade deadline. But a nice run toward the All-Star break kept the Halos above .500 for the time being (as jolted by a huge series in New York against the Yankees) and gave the organization more time to see if this unit is really capable of getting hot in the second half. The Angels’ biggest question is if they can get some more pitching at the trade deadline to help out their ace in Ohtani, who may be asked to throw more innings in the second half of the year. If Anaheim can land one or two veteran pitchers at the deadline and quickly get Trout back in the lineup, the Angels are a terrifying team to match up with considering how many elite offensive stars they have in their lineup as produced by a former World Series champion in Joe Maddon.

The AL MVP Seems Like a Lock; What About the NL?

Expect a tight NL MVP race to heat up as the season heats up and division races get tighter and tighter (via Sporting News, Twitter, and SF Chronicle).

This magical 2021 season from Shohei Ohtani unquestionably has him in a position to wrap up one of the most impressive MVP seasons in the history of the sport, but what about over in the National League? Jacob deGrom may be considered the “favorite” after an insane first half on the mound, but some missed starts and spectacular performances from other players in the first half makes this a very close race to watch. For instance, several players present some interesting cases next to deGrom that could make this race very tight, such as:

Padres’ shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr.
Giants’ starter Kevin Gausman
Giants’ catcher Buster Posey
Reds’ outfielder Nick Castellanos
Nationals’ shortstop Trea Turner
Dodgers’ first baseman Max Muncy
Dodgers’ third baseman Justin Turner

As it stands right now, only Tatis Jr. appears to have a legitimate case to have any sort of edge in the award race over deGrom due to his insane production and almost nightly highlights in the box and on the field. However, both Giants’ candidates present an interesting argument, especially if San Francisco can find a way to take home the NL West title. Posey’s numbers may not be quite as dominant across the board as someone like Tatis’, but there has to be some thought that his presence once again in the middle of the Giants’ lineup has transformed their production in the 2021 season. In addition, Gausman has been historically great in the first half and only overshadowed by the right-handed flamethrower in Queens, so continued dominance on the mound could give him as good of a shot as anyone. But with how great he is throwing right now, deGrom has to be seen as the favorite without any sort of projected slowdown in the future. Tatis Jr. and both Giants’ players could make this race interesting as we transition from summer to fall, but it looks like the NL MVP award is Jacob deGrom’s to lose at this point.

Who Will Represent Both Leagues in the 2021 World Series?

White Sox vs Dodgers: Our 2021 World Series prediction heading into the second half of the season (via Chicago Sun-Times and True Blue LA).

It may not be much of a surprise to see the Dodgers once again as our pick to make the World Series as NL representatives, but the Chicago White Sox?

The White Sox have been surprisingly excellent in the first half, led by a rock solid offense and arguably the best starting pitching in all of baseball right now. Manager Tony La Russa was a controversial hire at first, but it appears that the grizzled veteran still has some magic up his sleeve as he has Chicago at the top of the American League Central with a clear path toward the top seed in the AL with a weak schedule from now until the end of the regular season. La Russa really has not had to make a ton of tough managerial choices so far this season though, especially with what Lance Lynn, Carlos Rodon, and Lucas Giolito have been able to do for the Southsiders on the mound this season. In addition, players such as exciting shortstop Tim Anderson and 2020 AL MVP winner Jose Abreu have been able to carry the load for an offense that has dealt with some key injuries to important players this season such as Nick Madrigal and Luis Robert, while a strong bullpen, led by possibly the best closer in baseball right now in Liam Hendriks, has been able to lock it down on a nightly basis.

Sound familiar? It should, largely because the Dodgers have followed a very similar path this season as led by manager Dave Roberts. Yet the Dodgers have exactly what it takes to match up with an upstart team like the White Sox, as LA has three elite pitchers of their own with Buehler, Kershaw, and Urias lined up to start the first three games of any series, while also deploying a suddenly wipeout bullpen led by a resurgent season by former All-Star Kenley Jansen. On top of that, the Dodgers have been here before and will have all of the experience necessary to excel on a huge stage like the Fall Classic. The Dodgers have not won a World Series in front of a packed stadium crowd since the 1988 season against La Russa’s Oakland A’s, and it would be very fitting if the Boys in Blue were able to capture their second straight title, and first in front of a full crowd, in front of thousands of raucous Dodger fans in Chavez Ravine in 2021.

Second Half Surge