Judge, Yanks on top as baseball returns from All-Star break

It doesn’t matter if it’s Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts, or Jose Altuve; they’re simply hoping for more of the same. Julio Rodrguez and the Seattle Mariners are hoping to interrupt the Atlanta Braves’ title defense.

When Major League Baseball returns from its All-Star break on Wednesday night, the playoff picture is a lot more competitive, owing to the inclusion of a third wild card in each league.

It’s possible that the October equation might alter at any time. Just ask the 14-game winning streak of Rodriguez and the Mariners. For those looking ahead to the August 2 trade deadline, the Cincinnati Reds’ Luis Castillo, the Chicago Cubs’ Willson Contreras and Juan Soto are all expected to be on the market.

It’s great to have you back.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “We’ve still got a long way to go. It’s going to be a lot of baseball.

With a nine-game lead in their division, Roberts’ squad is one of three that will enter the second half with that advantage. In the NL West, the Los Angeles Dodgers lead the San Diego Padres by 10 games thanks to the contributions of Betts and Freeman.