MLB teams that may take a leap this season

There have been some surprising teams at the start of the MLB season. Every season comes with contenders, sleepers, and doubtful teams that have some fans stunned when seeing them at the top of their division. At the start of this year, teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Angels have sprinted to an early successful start. But can they keep it up?

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The Toronto Blue Jays finished with a record of 74-88 in the 2024 season. There was extreme 

doubt as if they were going to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this season or let him go in free agency.

On April 9th, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a 14-year, $500 million extension with the Blue Jays. This brought relief to the club and fans, as the Blue Jays team now look to have a refreshing successful season with Guerrero Jr. leading their offense. "This is so powerful for the organization. I think it's monumental for Toronto and for the game," Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins commented about Guerrero Jr. 's contract extension. 

The Blue Jays are second in the AL East with a record of 11-8. They have won 5 series this season and are coming off a series win with the Atlanta Braves in which they won 2 out of 3.  So far in the season, the Blue Jays have an average of .256, 236 total bases, .704 OPS, 76 runs, .659 OPSA, .210BAA, 236 TBA, and collected only 6 errors.

George Springer is having an amazing start to the season. He has a batting average of .375, 10 RBIs, and 2 homeruns. He has been getting on base a lot and providing a steady offense for the Blue Jays.

Starting pitcher Easton Lucas had a scoreless gem against the Boston Red Sox on April 9th, which carved out spots in the Toronto Blue Jays history books. He became only the fourth pitcher to record back-to-back starts of 5 plus innings, allowing no runs, no extra base hits, and 4 or fewer baserunners.

Courtesy of Bob Kupbens/Imagn Images (mlb.com)

The San Francisco Giants ended the 2024 season with an 80-82 record and missed the postseason. They were stuck in mediocrity and therefore hope to take a winning leap this season. They are now third in the NL West with a 13-6 record and a total of 4 won series.

So far in this season, the Giants have 104 runs, a .723 OPS, .231 batting average, and 23 homeruns. They are sixth in runs given with 72; 11th in OPSA with .664; and fifth in TBA with 215.

The Giants’ offense has shown up early in this season. They had a 9-1 victory against the New York Yankees, with Jerar Encarnacion that led the offense by going three out of four with a home run and three RBIs. He tops the team with a .302 batting average, 16 hits including 7 doubles, and 2 homeruns over 53 at bats.

Starting pitcher Logan Webb has been the dynamite as of late. He is 1-0 in his last two starts with a 1.80 ERA, 5 strikeouts, and a 0.60 WHIP over 5.0 innings pitched.

The Giants have had a balanced combination of pitching and hitting. If they continue their early success, they are in a good position for a competitive season and to be a top team in the NL West.

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The Los Angeles Angels finished the 2024 season in last place in the AL West, with a 63-99 record. They were a non defined team which are now having a thriving start to this season.

The Angels are third in their division with a 9-9 record. They secured four straight series wins where they had a three game sweep against the Chicago White Sox, and triumphed in the series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Guardians, and Tampa Bay Rays. After the Rays series, they seemed to struggle and lost a series to the Houston Astros before getting swept by the Texas Rangers.

The Angels currently have 79 runs, a .711 OPS, and a .230 batting average. They are 11th in total bases with 255, and 3rd in homeruns with 30.

Second baseman Kyren Paris is having a sparkling start with a .326 average, 8 RBIs, and 5 home runs. He is the offensive powerhouse for the Giants this season. Centerfielder Mike Trout is also showing up for the team, with 14 RBIs and 6 homeruns.

The Angels have been putting the ball in play and resorting to sacrifice flies to produce solid offense. They rely on the homerun ball, but are improving at playing and working with small balls that can create achievement this season.

As the early weeks of the MLB season unfold, it is evident how these teams have sparked to a

successful start and are making a statement. Whether it is dominant pitching, significant offense, or finding ways to win, these stars set the tone for what can be a successful and fulfilling season of baseball.

Edited by Elsa Olano