There were some clear favorites to win it all heading into the 2015 MLB season. Due to stacked pitching rotations or a lineup of power hitters, teams like the San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals (just to name a few) were picked by many to win it all this year. They still could all be in play, but after a month of action we’re starting to see some potential sleepers carve out their spot in the standings.
Could a non-heavy hitter stay above water throughout the season and surprise with a World Series win at the end of the year? There are at least four MLB teams that could do just that. Let’s take a quick look at all of them and see which sleeper team is the best bet to shock the nation:
Chicago Cubs
The Cubbies haven’t been to the playoffs since 2008 and haven’t sniffed a World Series since 1945 (they won back in 1908), but die hard fans just might have some hope of the curse being lifted this year. Rockstar rookie hitter Kris Bryant has been excellent since making his debut just a couple of weeks ago, while the Cubs have kept themselves within striking distance of the top of the NL Central.
Chicago has stayed among the league’s hottest teams thanks to a scorching offense that has already produced over 80 runs behind terrific early-season performances out of Anthony Rizzo, Jorge Soler and Starlin Castro. Jake Arrieta leads a pitching rotation that is the strongest it’s been in a while too, giving the Cubs a legit, balanced attack. The big question is, can they sustain this hot start or will fans be in for heartbreak again late in the year?
New York Mets
Meet the Mets, indeed. The other New York team isn’t usually the baseball team to root for in the Big Apple, especially since the franchise hasn’t been to post-season play since 2006. The Yankees might be the bigger team on the national stage, but right now it’s the Mets that are the talk of the town, as they’ve stormed out to a commanding first place lead atop the NL East.
It hasn’t happened by accident, either, as ace pitcher Matt Harvey has had a successful return to the mound and has been backed with over 80 runs from the offense already. Harvey isn’t the only quality pitcher the Mets have in their back pocket, either, as the ageless wonder that is Bartolo Colon keeps getting wins and youngtser Jacob deGrom has been promising so far this year, as well. If the offense hangs around all year, we just might have to take the Mets seriously come playoff time.
San Diego Padres
The Padres have been largely about offense during a solid start to the season, as Matt Kemp and Juston Upton have been blasting away early and often. They still aren’t exactly crushing it in the standings as a meandering .500 squad, but they have displayed the makings of a potential Wild Card threat due to a truly elite offense.
The problem lies within their defense, which has been giving up runs at an alarming rate. If San Diego can get that under wraps and become a little more balanced, they will be locks to be contending for a playoff spot just like they did a year ago, and they might even have a crack at the tough NL West.
Looking for a custom team sports baseball uniform package? Visit Uniformstore.com.
Houston Astros
Houston has come out of nowhere to take over the AL West this year, and by the early looks of it, we might just want to crown them the champs of their division. While their hot start is definitely very impressive, it’s also worth pointing out that no one else in their division remotely looks like a threat at the moment. The Astros are a dark horse to make a run later in the year due to their timely offense, however, as Jose Avulte and Luis Valbuena have offered efficient hitting and major power, respectively.
Houston hasn’t exactly been slacking in the defense department, as a solid pitching rotation of Collin McHugh, Scott Feldman and Dallas Keuchel lead the way. If the offense can keep up it’s pace and their top pitchers can keep churning out wins, the Astros may be a force to be reckoned with later in the year.
Most Likely to Fade: Padres
As awesome as the Padres are on offense right now, they’re just not getting it done on defense. They actually have the talent, but until we start seeing results on both sides of the ball, they’re the toughest team of this four-pack to trust. They also operate in a brutal division that includes power house teams like the Dodgers and Rockies – not to mention last year’s champs, the Giants.
Most Likely to Win: Mets
New York simply looks like the real deal. Mets fans won’t fully buy into it yet and outsiders won’t ever believe it, but if this current rendition of the Mets can stay healthy and continue to be a balanced ball club, they just might have a shot at making a run to the World Series. They have the pitching and offense to potentially win it all if all goes well.
Related: Predicting 2015’s MLB MVP Winners
