The biggest surprises of the 2023 MLB season

When teams concluded spring training and headed for their opening regular season series, there were a lot of pre-existing ideas about how the season would play out. Some of those still look to be on track, but other things have taken MLB fans completely by surprise. We’ll take a look at a few things taking place that few would have expected.

It seemed entirely possible that the Tampa Bay Rays were going to be a factor in the American League East division race all season, but it would have been hard to predict they would be this good coming out of the gate. Tampa Bay is on a blistering pace to capture the top overall seed in the American League.

There are a few things baseball fans can set their watches to, and one of them is the consistent competitiveness of the St. Louis Cardinals. Faces change, roles adjust, but their winning ways seem to continue. However, that has not happened this year, as the Cardinals only won 12 out of their first 36 games.

New York Mets owner Steve Cohen has spared no expense to bring in or retain top talent, with the stated goal of winning a World Series as soon as possible. 2023 is off to a shaky start for the ballclub, as they can’t seem to find a rhythm across their roster. They’ll have to hope that veteran starters Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander can stay healthy for an extended period.

The Oakland Athletics are in a world of turmoil, as the team is retooling its roster brick by brick in 2023. It was also announced that ownership intends to move the franchise to Las Vegas. Amidst the chaos, DH Brent Rooker has gotten off to a great start at the dish. He reached double digit home runs before the middle of May, and might be a bright spot for the future.

The Baltimore Orioles have been waiting for potential star catcher Adley Rutschman to hit his stride at the major league level, and it’s safe to say he’s doing that. While his ability has never been in question, it is a little surprising that the young hitter finds himself near the league lead in walks. He’s shown great patience at the plate, which bodes well for his future.

Luis Arraez won the American League batting title last season with the Minnesota Twins, and was somewhat surprisingly traded to the Miami Marlins this offseason. Arraez has shown that he can hit, but he’s leaps and bounds above his new National League peers in the average department. It’ll be interesting to see if the senior circuit figures out the Marlins second baseman.