By Peyton Schultze

Two months into the 2019 MLB regular season and there has already been an abundance of breathtaking excitement and high-flying thrills. From broken records to unlikely starts from breakout players, 2019 has been kind to baseball journalists around the country looking for a bright and shiny new story for their respective teams. But as we quickly shift into June (already), divisional races, personnel changes, and player rankings should start to ramp up even more and will likely open the eyes of fans around the league. Here’s some of the most notable headlines to watch out for as the season moves into the dog days of summer.

1. Are the Astros and Dodgers destined to meet again in a rematch of the epic 2017 World Series?

There have been several disappointments and surprise contenders so far in 2019, but it is clear that there have been two major frontrunners once again in a crowded field: the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both teams pose an equally potent rotation to their excellent starting lineups, filled with experienced veterans and young superstars. For the Astros, George Springer may be the AL MVP thus far, and the top of their starting rotation, headlined by Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole, has been as elite as any in recent memory. But for the Dodgers, it has been equally impressive, especially coming off back-to-back World Series defeats. With the nearly perfect play of Cody Bellinger (more on that in a bit) and the dominant pitching of the early NL Cy Young favorite, Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Boys in Blue look hungry to finally capture that elusive title that has escaped from their grasp over the past seven seasons. Will it be Astros versus Dodgers in the Fall Classic once again, or will a new or familiar challenger rise?

2. Will the two surprise contenders in the American League slow down at all?

Coming into this season,. not many people predicted the Minnesota Twins or Tampa Bay Rays to make a ton of noise. What fools those people have turned out to be. The Rays, led by the reigning AL Cy Young winner in Blake Snell, own the best overall pitching ERA in baseball, which has them just 1/2 game behind the Bronx Bombers in the AL East heading into June. Meanwhile, the shocking Twins have a stunning 9.5 game lead in the AL Central and own the best record in baseball, much to the surprise of fans around the league. With a lineup full of unlikely sluggers and a solid pitching staff, Minnesota looks to be a real threat in the American League. Nevertheless, will they slow down in comparison to the AL favorites such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Astros, Indians, and A’s? There’s plenty of time left, but it will be fascinating to see how the AL standings pan out in the end.

3. Can Cody Bellinger continue his stunning pace and contend with Mike Trout for status as the best player in baseball?

(via Maine Bat Co.) — (via *Maine Bat Co.*)

During his rookie season, Cody Bellinger performed like one of the game’s best up and coming power hitters. In his second season, Bellinger took a bit of a step back, but still had some big moments during the season. Yet in his third season, Bellinger has performed like the best player in baseball and looks like the Dodgers’ true franchise cornerstone. Coming into tonight, Bellinger was hitting .377, with 20 home runs and 52 RBIs, along with leading the league in nine total hitting categories. However, Bellinger has also been elite defensively in right field and in terms of baserunning for Los Angeles, displaying his five-tool capabilities for all to see. Can Bellinger continue this spectacular play until the end of the year and challenge the Angels’ Mike Trout as the best player in baseball? We’ll soon see.

4. Will the Red Sox return to their dominant form, or will they secede the East to the Yankees or Rays?

Coming off their dominating World Series victory in 2018, the reigning champion Boston Red Sox have not been quite the same so far in 2019. Although superstars like Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts have performed very well thus far, the Red Sox’s powerful lineup and tough pitching has not been quite as lethal so far. However, this could easily be due to a simple World Series hangover or a lack of motivation early on. Manager Alex Cora proved to be a great leader in his first year with the club a season ago, so it will be interesting to see if he is able to manage his way through their struggles and back into the middle of contention with their backs against the wall. If not, we may easily see the rival Yankees or upcoming Rays sneak to the top of the AL East with the Sox being on the outside looking in. Stay tuned.

5. Can Bryce Harper rise above the noise and ring the bell to control the rest of the developing Philadelphia soap opera?

So far in 2019, the upcoming Philadelphia Phillies have been… pretty solid. So far in 2019, Bryce Harper has been… meh, mediocre. After receiving a massive contract in the past offseason from the Phillies, Bryce Harper faced huge expectations in one of the nosiest cities in the United States. Although he’s had some big moments in a Phillies uniform so far, Harper has been pretty average otherwise, including leading the league in strikeouts. The Phillies have some World Series aspirations after a huge offseason full of spending, but they will need their prized superstar to provide more of an offensive boost to truly show off the Phils’ dangerous firepower in the National League.

6. Who is going to pull ahead in the competitive National League Central?

And the current role of “best division in baseball” goes to the NL Central, where the Cubs, Brewers, Cardinals, Pirates, and even Reds are gutting it out so far this year. The Cubs remain the hottest team in the division, but the Brewers are the reigning winners as led by the former MVP, Christian Yelich. In addition, the Cardinals and Pirates have also had surprisingly good years so far, and are keeping pace in the division and making a run at a wild card spot. Even the Reds have an outsider’s shot, with a potent lineup that is just beginning to perform well. The NL Central is going to be tight until the end, and it will be interesting to see how the standings end up.

7. Who is going to step up and lead their team into a playoff push?

(via Sporting News) — (via *Sporting News*)

There are plenty of elite players around baseball that have the star potential to put up a few massive weeks and help their team get back into a playoff race. In the National League, watch for Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres and Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves as they try to propel their young teams to the top of their division. The Padres and Braves have been relatively solid for most of the year, but will face a tough test in their own divisions if they want to make the playoffs. In the American League, watch for Joey Gallo of the Texas Rangers and Jose Ramirez of the Cleveland Indians. Gallo has helped the Rangers float around the two wild card spots up until this point, whereas the Indians have been a major disappointment and need some elite numbers from their star third baseman if they hope to catch the Twins at the top of the AL West.

8. Who will take the lead in the award races?

Another year and another unbelievable performance from Mike Trout makes him the clear favorite once again for AL MVP, whereas Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich figure to be in for a battle for the NL MVP honors for the rest of the season. As for the Cy Young, it is also clear that Justin Verlander of the Astros and Hyun-Jin Ryu of the Dodgers are the favorites so far, but watch out for young guns such as Jake Odorizzi of the Twins, Blake Snell of the Rays, Chris Paddack of the Padres, and even Zach Grienke of the Diamondbacks. The Manager of the Year race might be the tightest so far, but Rocco Baldelli of the Twins and Gabe Kapler of the Phillies seem to be the frontrunners at this point and will look to stay at the top as long as their respective teams remain at the top of their division.

Power Ahead