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MLB 2022 Weekly Preview: News, scores, and upcoming games
Get all the latest news and scores for the MLB 2022 season right here.
MLB important headlines
- Superstar outfielder Juan Soto sent from Nationals to Padres in blockbuster trade, wins first game with new team
- Angels hit 7 home runs but still lose 8-7 to Athletics
- Dodgers manage to win close game over Giants, 5-3
- Mets get better of Braves, 6-4
- Astros destroy Guardians, 6-0
- Blue Jays make light work of Twins, 9-3
- Royals overpower Red Sox, 7-3
- London will host Cubs and Cardinals for a two-game series in 2023
Game of the week
Oakland Athletics – 8
@ Los Angeles Angels – 7
Thursday, August 4th
Although it means little for two bottom-dwelling squads in the American League, it’s still a pretty incredible achievement for a team to hit seven homers but still lose.
The L.A. Angels managed to tie a Major League record by hitting seven home runs – with two of those from slugger Shohei Ohtani – but it still wasn’t enough to take down the visiting Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon.
For a while there, the Angels were the “so hot right now” team of the MLB in 2022, having a very solid 24-13 record by May 15th. But then… a 14-game losing streak, the firing of coach Joe Maddon, a few key injuries, and overall lackluster playing resulted in a team that’s now 44-61 and fourth-last in the AL.
Despite being in last place in the AL, the Athletics came out to play right from the first inning, with both Tony Kemp and Ramon Laureano picking up two runs for the game. It’s fair to say that neither side pitched amazingly well, but this was a batters’ game and it just came down to which side hit it better.
“It was one of those days where any ball hitting the air seemed like it went out,” said Oakland’s pitcher, Paul Blackburn, who gave up four runs but also picked up three strikeouts. “I’ve never seen anything like that, but I’ll take a series win any day.”
The Angels decided not to move Ohtani at the trade deadline, as the rumors surrounding the star player were that he was sure to switch teams for a high price. Nevertheless, the Angels will keep him for now, and hope that Mike Trout returns from a rib injury sooner rather than later.
MLB Power Rankings 2022
Here’s a quick summary of the five best teams in the MLB Power Rankings in 2022 after the trade deadline.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers: 72-33
Many baseball fans were surprised at the Dodgers’ somewhat unexciting trade deadline moves. They couldn’t find a suitable deal for Juan Soto (more on that with the Padres below) and didn’t pick up a new starting pitcher. However, L.A. did steal away Joey Gallo from the Yankees and added Chris Martin (not the Coldplay singer) to their pitching lineup.
When you consider the players on the Dodgers roster coming back from injury, perhaps it’s not so bad that L.A. didn’t go wild before the deadline. Dustin May, Blake Treinen, and Walker Buehler are all due back at some point soon, and will almost certainly help impact a major push in the playoffs.
In short, L.A. believes its current roster is good enough to win the World Series, and there are not many that would object.
2. New York Yankees: 70-36
The Yankees were definitely not quiet before the trade deadline and we can’t wait to see what this fantastic team can look like with even better new pieces. They picked up a great pitcher, Frankie Montas, and drastically improved the outfield with Andrew Benintendi and Harrison Bader.
New York hasn’t looked quite as dominant as the start of the season, as the team went 13-13 in the month of July, but if Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole can hold things down on the batting and pitching sides, respectively, then there’s no reason why the Yankees can’t look scarier than a melted Halloween pumpkin yet again.
3. Houston Astros: 69-38
It’s incredible to think just how good Justin Verlander is pitching right now, as the 39-year-old has an incredible ERA of 1.73, not to mention 127 strikeouts and giving up just 25 runs. He’ll have to stay at this level if the Astros are to compete with the teams above them, but he’s pitching just as well, if not better, than the likes of the Rays’ Shane McClanahan or the White Sox’s Dylan Cease.
The Astros are still somewhat under-the-radar for a team at third place in the MLB Power Rankings, but this is never a roster to sleep on, as a 69-38 record doesn’t arrive by sheer luck.
4. New York Mets: 67-38
While no one is exactly disappointed with the Mets’ moves before the deadline, neither is anyone jumping for joy. Ruf, Givens, Naquin, and Vogelbach are all solid additions to the team, but enough to dethrone the Dodgers or Yankees? Not just yet.
Still, the Mets are 9-1 in their last 10 games and really hitting their stride, thanks to the likes of Pete Alonso (61 runs and .278 average) and Chris Bassitt pitching a 3.61 ERA. While neither is mind-blowing, sometimes good enough is sufficient in the MLB while top-heavy teams can implode when one thing goes wrong.
5. San Diego Padres: 61-47
Every man and his dog have probably heard by now that the Padres acquired superstar hitter Juan Soto from the Nationals. San Diego did give up a lot of young and talented players in the trade, but to get a 23-year-old with this much skill is almost unheard of in the MLB.
With Soto on the roster and an incredible pitching lineup led by Yu Darvish and his 47 allowed runs, 127 strikeouts, and 3.30 ERA, the overall Padres roster is deep and can handle a few injuries here and there. The rest of the MLB should be scared of this sleeping giant now awakened (not to be confused with the San Francisco Giants who aren’t really scaring anyone).
Must-see upcoming MLB game
Check out the following matchup on the MLB schedule.
Miami Marlins @ Chicago Cubs on Friday 5th August
Likely first pitchers:
Marlins – Edward Cabera
Cubs – Justin Steele
While many people might not think of the Marlins/Cubs game as a must-see, there is plenty to be excited about. For one, can Jazz Chisholm Jr. work his way up to the top of the Marlins’ batting stats? He’s already leading in runs and RBI, but he’s not far behind Garrett Cooper in batting average. We’d like to see him be available on a consistent basis, though.
Overall, we’re interested to see if this Marlins team is legit or if it’s a fake contender. Sandy Alcantara is absolutely crushing it from the pitchers’ mound, raking up 141 strikeouts and giving up just 33 runs. His 1.88 ERA is helping the Marlins stay relevant at 9th place in the National League, but can they make a strong playoff push?
This will be the first of a three-game series against the Cubs, and even if Chicago’s season is likely already over, they won’t play dead. The Marlins should take two of these games, but don’t be shocked if the Cubs steal one.
Author: Joe Garland
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