It is time for the annual All Star Break around the game of baseball, but on a sad note, the following week saw Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs pass away suddenly on July 1 at the age of 27 while the team was on a road trip against the Texas Rangers. The two teams cancelled the game that evening before getting back at it again the following night.
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox played a pair of games last weekend in London, England and the Yanks won both games (17-13 and 12-8) as they continue to pace the American League standings entering the break. They have a 6 1/2 game lead on the second place Tampa Bay Rays in the division and also have the best record in the American League.
The Cleveland Indians are heating up and don't look now, but they are just 5 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Twins in the A.L. Central race following a two-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds this weekend. The Tribe has won six straight games following a pair of 13-0 losses on successive nights to the lowly Baltimore Orioles. Also, Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco (who hasn't pitched since May) has been diagnosed with leukemia.
In the AL West, the Houston Astros lead the surging Oakland A's by 7 1/2 games and the suddenly reeling Texas Rangers by nine full games heading into the All Star break. The Astros will have three position players starting in the game as Alex Bregman (third base) and outfielders George Springer and Michael Brantley were chosen by the fans for the starting lineup.
Over in the National League, the Atlanta Braves continue to lead the East division race, but the Washington Nationals, led by stellar pitching and timely hitting are back in the fold and in second place, six games behind Atlanta at the break. The Philadelphia Phillies are 6 1/2 games back in the chase.
The N.L. West is all Dodgers as the boys from L.A. have a 13 1/2 game cushion. Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger has 30 home runs and trails Milwaukee's Christian Yelich (31) for the home run lead. New York Mets rookie first baseman Pete Alonso has also belted 30 round trippers and is a National League reserve on the All Star team.
In the N.L. Central, the Chicago Cubs limp into the break with a half-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers while the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates are right there as well. Even the fifth place Cincinnati Reds are the thick of the division race, trailing first place Chicago by just 4 1/2 games.
The All Star Game should be another good one as the Home Run Derby takes place July 8 with the teams then playing on July 9, looking to entertain the crowd in Cleveland. Then it's on to the second half of the season.
AL STANDINGS (All Star Break) NL STANDINGS (All Star Break)
East East
New York 57-31 Atlanta 54-37
Tampa Bay 52-39 Washington 47-42
Boston 49-41 Philadelphia 47-43
Toronto 34-57 New York 40-50
Baltimore 27-62 Miami 33-55
Central Central
Minnesota 56-33 Chicago 47-43
Cleveland 50-38 Milwaukee 47-44
Chicago 42-44 St. Louis 44-44
Detroit 28-57 Pittsburgh 44-45
Kansas City 30-61 Cincinnati 41-46
West West
Houston 57-33 LA Dodgers 60-32
Oakland 50-41 Arizona 46-45
Texas 48-42 San Diego 45-45
LA Angels 45-46 Colorado 44-45
Seattle 39-55 San Francisco 41-48
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