Early Overreactions to the MLB Season

After just a handful of games into the 2017 MLB season, it is way too early to start worrying/getting overly excited about players’ performances so far. The sample size is miniscule – we are only about 0.02% of the way through the season. However, why not embrace it and have some fun? After all, the first couple games could mark the beginning of some favorable trends. Here is a list of my five overreactions to the MLB season so far.

1.    AJ Pollock is back to 2015 form and ready to lead the D-Backs to the division crown. Pollock has started the year blistering hot, gathering 7 hits in his first 3 games (.500 batting average). He’s shown his pop and his speed, and he could be ready to thrust himself back into the fantasy baseball MVP consideration. This is a great sign for Diamondbacks fans, as they need both him and Paul Goldschmidt to perform at their highest level in order to overthrow the behemoth teams atop the NL West.

2.    The Astros are just as good as the experts thought they would be. They sit on the AL West throne right now at 3-0, while their two main competitors (Rangers and Mariners) are winless. Lance McCullers and Dallas Keuchel looked like a formidable 1-2 punch in their first starts, and the offense is rolling.

3.    Chris Sale is going to run away with the AL Cy Young. He looked really, really good against the Pirates on Wednesday night. A tidy 7 innings, 7 strikeouts, and no earned runs. Unfortunately, he did not get any run support (although the Red Sox pulled out the victory in extra innings). However, he looks to be well on his way to a career year and should be penciled in as a 20-game winner.

4.    The Yankees should be really worried about their season. Masahiro Tanaka looked atrocious in his opening day start versus Tampa Bay, and that is not a good sign. The Yankees need him to roll out every fifth day and put his team in a position to win. The rotation already has enough issues, now they have to worry about their ace? Plus, Gary Sanchez has gone 1-for-14 so far. Sophomore slump is looming large.

5.    Dylan Bundy is going to be a legit ace in 2017. He had an incredible first start against the Blue Jays on Wednesday, going 7 innings with 8 strikeouts (allowing 1 run and no walks). This is the kind of talent that had Bundy labeled as a top prospect a few years ago, and now he is embracing the post-hype breakout season. With the Orioles dynamic offense, we might have a new ace in the wings.  

Written by Matt Loehle