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Getaway Day: The Astros are officially a cheat code
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve celebrates the win over the Texas Rangers on June 3, 2017. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Getaway Day: The Astros are officially a cheat code

As if they had not made the point clear enough, the Houston Astros are unfair. The game's top team is coming off the heels of playing not only their personal best of the year, they put together the best week of baseball in the league so far this season, bar none. 

Over the past seven days, the Astros have scored 60 runs and run up their winning streak to 10 games, which ties the longest of the year thus far. They have also basically clinched the AL West already as well, carrying a 13.5 game lead into the new week, and are being chased only by the Trout-less Angels and the up-and-down Mariners and Rangers. For comparison's sake, the Astros have already won more games at home than the Philadelphia Phillies have won overall. (In fairness, they have also won more road games than the Phillies have in total too.)

And while the afterparty in the AL West is already basically in motion for the rest of the division's teams, things are as tight as ever around the much of the rest of the game. So let's have a spin around the MLB diamond to start the new week.

American League

Baltimore Orioles: In a week that was the ultimate proving grounds for an O’s team that slid in the standings over the past few weeks, they showed up and proved they are a legitimate threat. They opened the week by taking two of three from the division leading Yankees, before splitting a weekend series with the Red Sox. They are still three games out of the lead and in third place, but they could be setting back up propel themselves back into the thick of things in the AL East race and make next weekend’s series in the Bronx carry some significant weight.


Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel throws a pitch to a Baltimore Orioles batter in the ninth inning during a game on June 3, 2017. Patrick McDermott-USA TODAY Sports

Boston Red Sox: Congrats go out to BoSox closer Craig Kimbrel, who dominated all comers in May en route to American League Pitcher of the Month honors. He struck out 25 batters over the past month while allowing just one hit. And while he has been lights out in closing affairs down, the club also received a boost from David Price, who made his return to the club on Memorial Day. After struggling in his initial outing, he looked be channeling his vintage form over the weekend. Price allowed just one run over seven innings against the Orioles, at a time when the club needs him more than ever. Fellow southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez will pay a visit to Dr. James Andrews this week, to gauge the severity of a knee injury that sent him to the 10-day DL after his season-worst outing on Thursday. 

Chicago White Sox: After opening the week on a positive note, beating the returning David Price and tacking on 10 hits and five runs against the returning Chris Sale, the wheels fell off the operation for the White Sox. The closed out the week by losing five consecutive games against the Red Sox and Tigers and now are tied with the Kansas City Royals at the bottom on the AL Central.

Cleveland Indians: Two months into the season and who the defending AL Champions are is still a puzzling question to answer. They have endured an underwhelming effort from their starting staff and injuries throughout the roster, they have struggled to find consistency. After taking three of four against an A’s team they can easily handle, they struggled to do the same against the Royals, dropping both of the first two games in their weekend tilt. It was a missed opportunity reclaim the AL Central from the Twins, who were dazed and confused after being overwhelmed by the Astros early in the week.


Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander pitches in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park before leaving later in the game on June 4, 2017. Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers: Things have been going great of late in the D, as the Tigers won five of six last week and paused the recent free fall they had been enduring in the standings. They have steadied their record at .500 entering the new week, with a favorable matchup with the Angels awaiting them. Yet there was reason for pause early on in Sunday’s victory, as Justin Verlander left the action in the third inning with a right groin injury. Time will tell how this affects the club’s long-time ace, and if he will miss any substantial part of the team’s current revival run. 

Houston Astros: As we said at the top, the Astros have played the best baseball of any team in the game this year, and are at their team-best now. They scored 40 runs en route to sweeping the Minnesota Twins in a series to open the week, before making easy work of the Texas Rangers over the weekend. Now, they enter the new week riding a 10-game winning streak and have stretched their lead in the AL West to an astonishing 13.5 games.

Kansas City Royals: Hard times hit early for the Royals last week, as staff ace Danny Duffy headed to the disabled list, where he will spend the next six to eight weeks with a serious oblique strain. Despite this bad news, the Royals played steady throughout the week, which they capped by taking two of three from the Indians. 

Los Angeles Angels: As the Halos adjusted to life without Mike Trout, they turned to a timely distraction from Albert Pujols. The Hall of Famer-in-waiting made history on Saturday night, hitting his 600th career home run in a grand fashion, hitting a slam and becoming the ninth player to connect for at least 600 long balls in his career. This nicely wrapped up a week where they took home a pair of series against the Braves and Twins, enabling them to hold steady in the AL West for now. 

Minnesota Twins: The week began with a humbling sweep at the hands of their fellow divisional leaders in the Astros, a series where they opened by blowing a six-run lead with two innings to go, and capped by losing by 11 runs. But they picked up the pieces late in the week against the Angels –inspired by the season’s first triple play on Thursday – and maintained their lead over the AL Central, in a week where the only team in the division that posted a winning record were the last place Royals.


New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge celebrates his two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre on June 2, 2017. John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees: With Mike Trout out of action, many opinions have shifted towards Aaron Judge as being the leader in the pack for AL MVP honors right now. And while it has been 16 years since Ichiro last pulled off dual MVP/Rookie of the Year honors, he certainly is making a great impression. He is carrying an eight-game hitting streak into the new week and has the Yanks positioned with a two-game lead in the AL East, a division that they have lead for all but one day since May 14. 

Oakland Athletics: After two months of treading water, the A’s finally dipped beneath the currant and into the cellar of not only the AL West, but of the entire American League. They will have a chance to dust themselves off against the bottom half of the AL East this week, but that still is not a very promising proposition for this misfit team. 

Seattle Mariners: Another Mariner bit the dust for the disabled list, and this time it was a repeat visitor. Jean Seguara, who is currently leading the AL in batting at .341, returned to the DL last week within an ankle injury that could keep him out of action until July. It was a badly timed fallout for the Mariners, who have been hot of late, entering the new week as winners of seven of their last ten and having climbed up to third place. 

Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays recent roll hit an unexpected pothole over the weekend, as the Mariners dominated them over a three-game sweep. However, they are set up to be right back on track, as they scheduling gods showed Tampa great favor in affording them back-to-back series with the bottom feeding White Sox and A’s over the next week, with all seven matchups coming at Tropicana Field. That smells like a win streak in the making.


Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre singles and drives in a run during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros on June 3, 2017. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Texas Rangers: That 10-game win streak seems dead and buried now. Adrian Beltre, who has been the spark, ignition, heart and soul of the Rangers over the past few years, finally made his 2017 debut this week. However, it was to little affect, as the Rangers continued to struggle as May turned to June. They dropped two of three against the Rays before posing little opposition to the Astros over the weekend. They have now won only two of their last ten and have dipped back into the lower half of the AL West that they had just propelled themselves from the depths of a few weeks back.

Toronto Blue Jays: Although they got roughed up a bit by the Yankees over the weekend, the Jays remain one of the more formidable teams in the American League over the last two weeks. Since May 20, they have lost only three games and have earned at least a split in four straight series. They have posted a higher win percentage than every other AL East team over the last three weeks and have completely pulled themselves out of the deep hole their lethargic start dropped them into. With Josh Donaldson back into action now as well, the Jays could be the team to watch over the next month in all of baseball.

National League

Arizona Diamondbacks: Although it has been a tremendous start to the year for the D-backs, they still have very little room for error in the tight NL West race. And the end of the week brought an inexcusable let up against a Marlins team they should have put down easily. Instead, Arizona dropped three of four over the weekend in Miami, including being no-hit on Saturday evening. They’ll now open the week in third place and two games out, when they had a clear chance to pull away with a lead in the toughest race in the game thus far. 

Atlanta Braves: Losers of their past four series coming into the weekend, the Braves put the skids on that dubious streak over the weekend by taking two of three from the Reds. The game’s most ironic second place team, the Braves would be towards the bottom of any other division, but continue to linger in the most immediate dust behind the Nationals.


Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta pitches during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 31, 2017. Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Cubs: Of the headlines that could have been expected to be seen during this MLB season, the “Padres sweep the Cubs” would have been among the most far-fetched ideas. But the unreal was made real, as the Cubs’ early season struggles hit rock bottom early in the week, as their skid against the Pads pushed capped a six-game losing streak. While they rebounded with a strong weekend at home against their chief rival Cardinals, it is becoming increasingly clear this year’s team is far from capable of repeating the magic of their predecessors. 

Cincinnati Reds: It was a one-win week for the Reds, who continue to fall way back to reality from their hot start. What’s worst, they fell to both a last place club (albeit, one that is not playing like one) in the Blue Jays, then followed it by falling to the reeling Braves as well. It has now been nearly a month since Cincy managed to win consecutive games. 

Colorado Rockies: The Rockies caught the Mariners at the wrong time, as they took two Ls on the chin early in the week. However, they propped themselves up by taking care of the Padres over the weekend. The week ahead however will provide a different caliber of challenge, as the Indians and Cubs await. And while neither of those clubs are who they were a year ago, it still will be tight challenge to take on with the Dodgers and Diamondbacks breathing down their back so intently. 

Los Angeles Dodgers: It was a strong week for the Dodgers, save for a trio of offensive let ups where they were shutout twice and managed a single run in a third game. Otherwise, they continued their strong play of late, led by the historic outing by Clayton Kershaw, who struck out 14 Brewers in route to reaching the 2,000-career mark in the third fewest games ever.


Miami Marlins starting pitcher Edinson Volquez dries himself off after being dunked with water after throwing a no-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Marlins Park on June 3, 2017. Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Miami Marlins: On May 24, Edinson Volquez was yet to win his first game on the season and had an ERA hovering near 5.00. And now as he awaits his next start, he has authored one of the most unlikely no-hitters in recent memory, as he shut down the D-backs on Saturday night. What’s more, he issued it on the first posthumous birthday of his fallen ex-teammate Yordano Ventura. That’s quite the tribute.

Milwaukee Brewers: Despite splitting a series with the underwhelming Mets and dropping two of three to the Dodgers as well. The Brewers enter the week three games above .500, yet are over a game ahead in the lackluster NL Central, but it will do for now.


New York Mets second baseman Neil Walker walks to the dugout after striking out in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field on May 31, 2017. Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

New York Mets: The mess that is the Mets continues to flail their way through the season. Despite being paired in a division that has more teams headed for the top 10 of next spring’s draft, than towards .500 records this year, they continue to struggle to get their footing. They dropped a pair of ugly losses to the Pirates over the weekend, allowing 12 and 11 runs in respective outings. Yoenis Cespedes is in line to be able to return to the lineup as at least a designated hitter this week, although it is still uncertain how much value he will have once they return to National League play, as the status of his injured quad/hamstring is still up in the air. 

Philadelphia Phillies: With Sunday’s victory over the Giants, the Phillies managed to win consecutive games for the first time in over a month. It was the best time possible for them to pull off the feat as well, as they will now head to the road – where they are the only NL team to not reach double digits in victories yet – for seven games. 

Pittsburgh Pirates: It was throwback week in Pittsburgh, as Andrew McCutchen hit a walk-off homer and the Pirates followed in suit by having the best week of any team in the NL Central. It has been a frustrating year for the Bucs, but in their lackluster division, they are still only four games out of the race, despite still being five games south of .500. 

San Diego Padres: Without a doubt, the Padres had their highlight moment of the year this week as, once again… THE PADRES SWEPT THE CUBS. Pop the champagne in San Diego, that is likely as good as it is going to get this year for the Pads. But they’ll always have this. 


San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Hunter Strickland and Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper in a fight after Harper was hit by the pitch of Strickland during the eighth inning at AT&T Park on May 29, 2017. Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco Giants: Hunter Strickland’s brawl – and Buster Posey’s reaction to it – dominated the week’s news around the Giants, and it is probably a good thing considering how they performed. Outside of a 10-0 destruction of the Phillies, they lost five of six games on the week and are now once again slotted at the bottom of the NL West, 12.5 games outside of the action. But if there is any sort of silver lining to be found, at least Madison Bumgarner is throwing again. Although he likely will be throwing a lot of meaningless innings by the time he returns at the pace the Giants are playing at. 

St. Louis Cardinals: It was an ugly week for the Birds, as the wins were hard to come by and even when they did find them, it took a one-man show from Adam Wainwright (seven scoreless innings and a two-run homer) to pull off a win over the Dodgers. They gave up two late leads over the Cubs on the weekend and lost their chance to take over an NL Central that had only one of its top three teams win more than it has lost over the last week and a half. 

Washington Nationals: While Bryce Harper rushing the mound was the biggest headline for the week, it overshadowed the fact that the Nats attacked the West Coast over the last week with a fervor it hasn’t seen since Godzilla. The Nats swept the Giants back into last place, and then washed it down by putting 24 runs on the board in a pair of victories against Oakland. Armed with a 12.5 game lead in the NL East and surrounded by four teams far away from seeing .500, the Nats biggest challenge may be staying interested in the next four months of regular season ahead of them.

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