Difficult Start For Most Of AL’s Playoff Teams From 2015

If the MLB season were to end now, the the American League playoffs would be very different than last year’s.

Difficult Start For Most Of AL’s Playoff Teams From 2015

Only one team from the 2015 AL postseason is set to return based on the current standings: the Texas Rangers. The other four playoff teams — the Kansas City Royals, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees — are all at or below 0.500. The Astros and Yankees have it particularly difficult, since they are both in last place in their respective divisions and both 6 1/2 games out of first place.

“We’ve had a lot of things not go our way this year. Everyone is a little frustrated,” Houston outfielder Colby Rasmus said recently. “We want to win. Nobody likes to lose. We aren’t coming in every day and putting the time in to lose.”

The Astros (12-20) have put up some ugly numbers from their starting pitching rotation so far. Dallas Keuchel, last year’s Cy Young Award winner, is 2-4 with a 4.70 ERA. Collin McHugh and Mike Fiers have ERAs over 5.00.

The Yankees (11-18) have recently suffered similar problems, although their rotation has somewhat improved. They won the series against the Red Sox 2-1 and will continue their home-stand this coming week against the Royals and the Chicago White Sox. “I think we’re going in the right direction. We’ve dug ourselves a hole,” infielder Chase Headley said. “You can’t take back what’s already happened, you’ve just got to look forward.”

There are five teams playing at least .600 ball right now. Only the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates finished above the .600 mark in 2015.

The AL batting leader at the moment is quite a surprise. Third baseman Nick Castellanos, 24, of the Detroit Tigers, a career .267 hitter, is now in the lead with a .375 mark. Castellanos currently has a batting average on balls in play of .453, but according to Fangraphs.com, his groundball rate is around 22 percent, easily the lowest of his career. He has walked only five times all season.

PHOTO: CLEVELAND, OH – MAY 8: First baseman Eric Hosmer #35 of the Kansas City Royals drops a foul ball hit by Carlos Santana #41 of the Cleveland Indians during the fifth inning at Progressive Field on May 8, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Indians defeated the Royals 5-4. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)