Biggest winners and losers from MLB’s first month

Winner: Houston Astros

For most teams, April records are hit or miss. Sometimes they’re vital. Other times, they don’t really preview the rest of the year. But since the Astros came out of their long rebuilding project in 2015, they’ve definitively fallen into the first group.

So, Houston should be quite happy with it’s 16-9 record entering May.

Even better for the Astros is how good the pitching has been. Houston ranks third in overall ERA (3.38), sixth in starter’s ERA (3.63), and sixth in bullpen ERA (2.91). Top to bottom, the Astros may have the best pitching in baseball.

Things haven’t even been that good for the offense, which ranks 12th in runs scored (112). But with guys like George Springer, Jose Altuve, and Carlos Correa, Houston has a talented group of hitters. That offense is simply not going to be fledgling in mediocrity for that long.

The first month of the season was a good message to the rest of the American League. Be afraid. The Astros are already very good and the best is yet to come.

By Michael Dixon

Bay Area born and raised, I have extensive experience in both the print and online worlds. There are few ... More about Michael Dixon