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One-on-one: What MLB team is off to the hottest start?

New York Mets

BY KEVIN LINDGREN

While the weather says otherwise, baseball season is in full swing. Rebuilding teams such as the Angels, Braves and Pirates have surprised the league with hot starts. However, no team is hotter than the New York Mets.

As we enter mid-April, the Mets boast a 12-4 record. Led by a phenomenal pitching staff anchored by flame-throwing superstar Noah Syndergaard, the Mets have shut down opposing offenses all season. Along with Syndergaard, Jacob DeGrom, Steven Matz, Matt Harvey and Zach Wheeler combine to form one of the most formidable pitching rotations in all of baseball.

New York’s offense has complemented the pitching all season, coming up with clutch hits. Slick-fielding Asdrubal Cabrera has blasted four home runs and leads the Mets in batting average. Yoenis Cespedes has a team-high 13 RBIs. Off-season pickup Todd Frazier is leading the Mets with a .420 on-base percentage.

The Mets also have a strong bullpen led by closer Jeurys Familia. He has seven saves on the season already and hasn’t allowed an earned run. The bullpen also features former Marlins closer, AJ Ramos, who has a 2.70 ERA in 10 appearances.

While Jack will tell you that the Angels are the best team, he isn’t looking at their whole team. Mike Trout is the best player on the planet, and Ohtani has been a revelation, however, the Angels lack deep hitting and pitching after those two players.

New York’s pitching staff is far superior to any team, capable of shutting down any potent offense. Provided the team stays healthy, don’t be surprised if the Mets end up winning the pennant this year.

 

LA Angels

BY JACK SIMZYK

The Los Angeles Angels are off to the hottest start of the 2018 MLB season. They stand among the top three teams in the entire league with a record of 13-3. They have also gone 9-1 in their last ten games and have the longest winning streak in the league right now, at seven straight. The Angels are just a half game back of the Boston Red Sox for first place in the league, the New York Mets. Records aren’t everything, though. There’s more reasons why the Angels are off to a better start than the Red Sox, Mets or any other team.

The Angels are off to a blazing start offensively. They lead the league in runs scored with 103. That’s 14 higher than the next closest team, the Red Sox, and 38 more than the Mets. They also lead the league in hits with 174, which is 27 more than the Red Sox and 59 more than the Mets. The Angels are tied with the Colorado Rockies for first in home runs with 26. The Angels also lead the league in RBIs, OPS, batting average and slugging percentage.

Not only is their offense on fire, but the pitching and defense for the Angels has been great as well. They are top 10 in runs scored against, but have the best run differential in the league with at +48. They are top-10 in the league in ERA and also boast the second most quality saves in the league.

Centerfielder Mike Trout has been his usual stellar self, and Shohei Ohtani has proven that he is well above average at the plate and on the mound.

While the bats may be a tad more hot than the defense and pitching, both have been good enough to provide balance and give the Angels one of the most well-rounded teams in the MLB.

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