First Half Report: Top Teams in the National League
The Home Run Derby and All-Star game have come and gone. That is the key indicator that we are cruising through the 2021 MLB season and are now officially in the back half of the season.
So, who is standing at the top of their divisions in the National League? More importantly, who will win the National League pennant?
**stats are as of July 15th**
The Amazin’ Mets | 47 Wins
The NY Mets don’t only have the best mascot in baseball; they own the best record in the NL East. They are 3.5 games up on the Philadelphia Phillies and have 4 games on the Atlanta Braves.
Mets odds to win the pennant
According to Fox Betting Lines, the Mets are +460 to win the NL Pennant. This number places them as the 3rd most probable team to win the National League and head to the Fall Classic.
The Brew Crew | 53 Wins
The Milwaukee Brewers have a firm grasp on the NL Central over everyone but the Cincinnati Reds. The Brewers own a 4-game lead over the Reds but have 8 games on the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals. And unfortunately for Pittsburgh fans, an 18-game lead over the Pirates.
Brewers odds to win the pennant
The Brewers are currently +550 to win the NL. They sit 4th in line, just behind the NY Mets. The Brew Crew’s remaining schedule is ranked No. 16 in the league. So, they are right in the middle, with average difficulty. However, the Reds have 3rd most manageable remaining schedule in the league, so could we see Cincinnati catch up and win the Central division?
The SF Giants | 57 Wins
The G-Men overtook the LA Dodgers on the NL West leaderboard with just a couple of days left before the midseason break. The west is challenging in both leagues. But, I believe the NL West is the toughest division in all of the MLB. The LA Dodgers already have 56 wins, and the SD Padres are one of the most exciting teams in baseball right now, and they sport 53 wins already.
Giants odds to win the pennant
The Giants are currently +1400 to win the NL pennant. That number means 14-1. So, to put that into perspective, the SD Padres and LA Dodgers are both higher up on the odds boards.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are +195, and the San Diego Padres are +430. So, the second and third-place teams in the NL West own the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the Las Vegas odds boards, respectively, to win the pennant.
This division will likely be the most exciting to watch as we move into the final month of the regular season.
NL West Stats Comparison
When we check the predictive rankings, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the highest-rated team in the league, a full 0.5 points over their next closest-ranked team, the Houston Astros, at 0.82.
But the third highest-ranked team in the MLB is the San Diego Padres at 0.81, which puts two of the top-ranked teams in both leagues combined in the NL West. The Giants are ranked at No. 12. So, still a tough team, but do they have the strength to last in the war of attrition that is an MLB season?
The Dodgers and the Padres both have easier remaining schedules than the Giants. Although San Francisco’s remaining program isn’t particularly difficult—No. 15 in difficulty—the LA Dodgers have the 10th easiest, and the Padres have the 12th easiest.
The LA Dodgers have the second-most potent offense in the bigs at 5.23 runs per game scored. The SF Giants put up 4.96, good enough for the 6th ranked scoring offense, and the SD Pads, have the 12th ranked offense at 4.60 runs per game.
Where the SF Giants really shine is on defense. They rank No.1 in the MLB for runs allowed, No 4 for hits, and 1 for walks given. But the Dodgers are too complete to give the nod to SF. LA is No. 3 in runs allowed, No. 2 in hits allowed, No. 6 in walks, and No. 2 in strikeouts.
Despite the Giants leading the West by a game, the Dodgers are the most well-rounded team in the league, and it’s likely we’ll see them back in the World Series. After all, we can’t give Tampa Bay a three-sport championship sweep.
