With the 86th edition of the Midsummer Classic barely 24 hours away, there's no better time to reflect on the first half of the 2015 MLB season.
Parity abounds in both leagues, but that hasn't left baseball fans wanting for compelling storylines. The upstart Houston Astros have more wins than all but four teams. Bryce Harper may be the best player on the planet. And all five teams in the AL East could claim the division title.
So what conclusions can be drawn after three months of baseball, you ask?
Here are five takeaways from the first half of the 2015 campaign.
Blue Jays mustacquire top starter at trade deadline
Blessed with a historically exceptional offense, the Blue Jays could very plausibly snap their league-leading playoff drought in 2015. Their rotation, however, has uniformly struggled, ranking among the bottom three in the AL in ERA (4.46), FIP (4.42), and win probability added (-2.39). An additional two-to-three wins above replacement from a top-end starter in the second half might therefore be necessary to reacquaint Torontonians with October baseball. Despite unloading a bunch of prospect capital in recent years, the Blue Jays still wield a number of compelling trade chips that should appeal to non-contenders. If Alex Anthopoulos opts not to broker a deal for a top starter at the deadline, he risks squandering the most prolific offense in franchise history and, perhaps, the best year of the club's competitive window. - Jonah Birenbaum
Young hurlers rearranging pitching hierarchy in MLB
Veteran hurlers Felix Hernandez, David Price, Corey Kluber, Chris Sale, and Yu Darvish were all considered preseason Cy Young favorites in the American League, but the unlikely trio of Chris Archer, Dallas Keuchel, and Sonny Gray are arguably the top first-half performers in the AL. The youth movement is also holding true in the NL. Gerrit Cole, Carlos Martinez, Michael Wacha, and Shelby Miller have emerged as top arms, stealing the spotlight from aging workhorses like Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner, Cole Hamels, and Jon Lester. Pitchers should be evaluated on their entire body of work, but if this trend continues in the second half, it could force teams to reconsider their strategy heading into a free-agent class loaded with veteran arms. - Greg Warren
The Astros will be the real deal for a long time
The Astros were supposed to be very good, but not yet. Coming off a season in which they finished an abysmal 28 games back of first place in the AL West, Houston's resurgence has been impressive. After the return of batting champion Jose Altuve, the rise of George Springer, and the promotion of Carlos Correa, the Astros are a legitimate contender at the halfway mark. Dallas Keuchel, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the best pitchers in the AL, with Lance McCullers helping round out a promising young staff. After winning 14 of 15 games earlier in the season, skepticism arose over whether Houston's success was sustainable for the season. Well, coming into the All-Star break, they sit a half-game back of the first-place Angels. Even more exciting: The Astros secured three impressive first-round picks, including No. 2 overall selection Alex Bregman; Preston Tucker's younger brother, Kyle; and Daz Cameron, son of former major-leaguer Mike. - George Halim
Veteran stars slugging like it's 2011
While young superstars Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are busy putting their imprint on the sport, don't count out MVPs and All-Stars from yesteryear just yet. Albert Pujols is already two homers shy of matching last season's total, and is among a group of several veterans - including Mark Teixeira, Ryan Howard, Joey Votto, and Alex Rodriguez - who are on pace to hit their most home runs since 2011. Teixeira and A-Rod have already equaled their offensive output from their previous campaign, while another Comeback Player of the Year candidate, Prince Fielder, is working on his highest OPS in three seasons. Jose Bautista and the injured Miguel Cabrera continue to do their thing, and David Ortiz is a safe bet for his 14th-straight 20-homer season. The wrong side of 30 never looked this good. - Dan Toman
The road to the postseason is paved with a strong bullpen
The Royals' improbable World Series run reaffirmed the importance of having a well-constructed bullpen, and a number of teams have emulated that approach in 2015. The Royals, Cardinals, Astros, and Pirates own the top four bullpen ERAs in the majors, and all occupy a postseason spot heading into the break. The Astros made a point to improve one of the league's worst bullpens from a season ago by adding Pat Neshek and Luke Gregerson. After posting the 27th-ranked WHIP in 2014, Astros relievers have combined for a 1.01 WHIP - currently the best mark in baseball. The Yankees are leading the East after spending big on closer Andrew Miller, rather than adding a high-priced starter. Miller and Dellin Betances form arguably the best one-two punch in baseball, combining for 121 strikeouts in 74 innings. Early-season playoff favorites such as the Red Sox, Blue Jays, and Tigers all made little to no upgrades to their bullpen, and have struggled with an unreliable relief corps. - Brandon Wile
