3 MLB Teams That Have the Most at Stake This Season
Sportsgrid Staff
Host · Writer
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees were surprisingly quiet at this year’s trade deadline. Their expansive wish list resulted in only acquiring Jazz Chisholm Jr., Mark Leiter Jr., and Enyel De Los Santos. Despite exploring options like Jack Flaherty and Garrett Crochet, they left with a minimal haul.
The biggest reason the Yankees have so much at stake, however, is the presence of Juan Soto, one of the greatest hitters in baseball, who is only under contract for one season.
The Yankees are always under immense pressure to win, but Soto's presence amplifies this tenfold. Soto, 25, is having one of his best seasons and has been a significant addition to their lineup.
Without a contract extension, Soto will hit free agency in a few months. The Soto-Aaron Judge duo is much less intimidating if half of it is missing.
Without Soto, the Yankees' lineup is far less formidable. There’s Judge, an aging Giancarlo Stanton, an unproven Anthony Volpe, and the inconsistent production of Alex Verdugo, Gleyber Torres, and Chisholm.
Currently, the Yankees are tied for the top spot in the AL East with the Baltimore Orioles. Anything less than a deep postseason run would be considered a wasted year with one of the best players in baseball history.
Setting The Stage
For nearly every Major League Baseball team, a typical MLB regular season is all about context. A prime example is where the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals find themselves after approximately 110 games.
Both teams have around 60 victories this year. For Atlanta, that’s “only” good enough for second place in the NL East, trailing the Philadelphia Phillies by eight games. The Braves were expected to be the runaway favorites.
In contrast, St. Louis finished last in the NL Central last season, with little hope for a 2024 comeback. Yet, here they are, sitting in second place in their division and firmly in the hunt for a Wild Card spot.
The Cardinals couldn’t be happier with this unexpected outcome, while the Braves find themselves in an uncomfortable position.
Expectations play a major role in how teams are perceived, and they are usually set before the first pitch of the season. The Cardinals may have had internal belief, but industry expectations were low, predicting the end of their reign. On the other hand, the Braves were widely seen as the obvious favorites to dominate their division once again.
Winning baseball games has never been tougher, and the stakes have never been higher. Some teams crumble under the pressure, while others excel. Regardless, the immense pressure on certain clubs to win is undeniable.
Today, we’ll take a look at three MLB teams with the highest stakes this season. Whether it’s due to pending free agency, a closing contention window, or simply self-imposed expectations, these teams have a lot on the line.
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros face enormous pressure, even more than the defending champion Texas Rangers. The club has been a dynasty over the past decade, but their dominance is waning.
Houston's core, including Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Yordan Alvarez, remains strong, but they’re not getting any younger. Jeremy Pena, the replacement for Carlos Correa, is struggling with a wRC+ below 100, which is league average.
Injuries have decimated the Astros' roster. Kyle Tucker has been out for over two months with a bone bruise. On the pitching side, five starters and four relievers are on the injured list, including Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier, and Jose Urquidy, all recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Despite leading the AL West, the Astros don’t have a comfortable margin. They’re currently tied with the Seattle Mariners for the division lead. It feels like a two-team race, but one thing is clear: this is no longer the dominant Astros squad of years past.
With their stars’ contracts winding down and injuries wiping out half the roster, the Astros are under immense pressure to win now.
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San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are always among the most active teams at the MLB trade deadline. This year, they added Luis Arraez and Dylan Cease early in the season, followed by Tanner Scott, Bryan Hoeing, and Jason Adam at the deadline.
AJ Preller, the architect behind the Padres, is known for aggressively trading prospects for win-now pieces. However, under his leadership since 2014, the Padres have only reached the postseason twice. In that time, he’s traded away top talents like Trea Turner, Max Fried, MacKenzie Gore, James Wood, CJ Abrams, and others.
Despite assembling a roster featuring Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Xander Bogaerts, the Padres have yet to deliver consistent results. Two weeks ago, they were 8.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. That gap has now shrunk to 2.5 games, so perhaps it’s finally time for San Diego to fulfill their promise. If not, Preller’s job could be in jeopardy.
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees were surprisingly quiet at this year’s trade deadline. Their expansive wish list resulted in only acquiring Jazz Chisholm Jr., Mark Leiter Jr., and Enyel De Los Santos. Despite exploring options like Jack Flaherty and Garrett Crochet, they left with a minimal haul.
The biggest reason the Yankees have so much at stake, however, is the presence of Juan Soto, one of the greatest hitters in baseball, who is only under contract for one season.
The Yankees are always under immense pressure to win, but Soto's presence amplifies this tenfold. Soto, 25, is having one of his best seasons and has been a significant addition to their lineup.
Without a contract extension, Soto will hit free agency in a few months. The Soto-Aaron Judge duo is much less intimidating if half of it is missing.
Without Soto, the Yankees' lineup is far less formidable. There’s Judge, an aging Giancarlo Stanton, an unproven Anthony Volpe, and the inconsistent production of Alex Verdugo, Gleyber Torres, and Chisholm.
Currently, the Yankees are tied for the top spot in the AL East with the Baltimore Orioles. Anything less than a deep postseason run would be considered a wasted year with one of the best players in baseball history.
Setting The Stage
For nearly every Major League Baseball team, a typical MLB regular season is all about context. A prime example is where the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals find themselves after approximately 110 games.
Both teams have around 60 victories this year. For Atlanta, that’s “only” good enough for second place in the NL East, trailing the Philadelphia Phillies by eight games. The Braves were expected to be the runaway favorites.
In contrast, St. Louis finished last in the NL Central last season, with little hope for a 2024 comeback. Yet, here they are, sitting in second place in their division and firmly in the hunt for a Wild Card spot.
The Cardinals couldn’t be happier with this unexpected outcome, while the Braves find themselves in an uncomfortable position.
Expectations play a major role in how teams are perceived, and they are usually set before the first pitch of the season. The Cardinals may have had internal belief, but industry expectations were low, predicting the end of their reign. On the other hand, the Braves were widely seen as the obvious favorites to dominate their division once again.
Winning baseball games has never been tougher, and the stakes have never been higher. Some teams crumble under the pressure, while others excel. Regardless, the immense pressure on certain clubs to win is undeniable.
Today, we’ll take a look at three MLB teams with the highest stakes this season. Whether it’s due to pending free agency, a closing contention window, or simply self-imposed expectations, these teams have a lot on the line.
