From 2021 Florida Grapefruit League Season to the All Star Break
The old saying of hindsight is 20/20 may or may not apply to how things have gone with Major League Baseball teams from their time in Florida Spring Training through the All-Star break.
But it’s always fun to see how things were going on April 1 to July 13. Let’s take a look.
After a fourth place finish in 2020, the Boston Red Sox were not given much of a chance to compete in tall he tough American League East Division in 2021.
At the All-Star break, it’s the Red Sox who are wagging their finger at the prognosticators with a AL East leading 55-36 record. This all comes after Boston posted a Florida Grapefruit League-leading 16 wins at Jet Blue Park, in Fort Myers, and other Southwest Florida spring training sites.
On the flipside, the Houston Astros left the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches after struggling through a 6-14 Spring Training record.
Well, whaddya know? The Astros are now leading the American League West with 55-36 record.
Florida Grapefruit League Records vs. All Star Game Break Record
Toronto Blue Jays 16-9 46-42. 3rd AL East
Boston Red Sox 16-11 55-36, 1st AL East
Atlanta Braves 15-13 44-45, 3rd NL East
Miami Marlins 14-5 39-50. 5th NL East
NY Yankees 14-12 46-43, 4th AL East
Detroit Tigers 13-12 40-51, 3rd AL Central
Pittsburgh Pirates 13-14 34-56, 5th NL Central
Tampa Bay Rays 13-15 53-37, 2nd AL East
Philadelphia Phillies 12-15 44-44., 2nd NL East
NY Mets 11-11 47-40, 1st NL East
Minnesota Twins 11-15 39-50, 4th AL Central
Washington Nationals 10-9 42-47, 4th NL East
Baltimore Orioles 10-17 26-61, 5th AL East
St. Louis Cardinals 8-10 44-46, t-3rd NL Central
Houston Astros 6-14 55-36, 1st, AL West
Individuals from Florida Grapefruit League to All Star Break
Pittsburgh’s Ke’Bryan Hayes led all Major Leaguers in Spring Training with a .431 batting average. It seemed to carry over into the regular season as Hayes hit a home run in his first at bat of the 2021 regular season, but through July 11, Hayes has a .262 batting average in 130 AB, with four home runs and 18 RBI.
Hayes is the son of former MLB player, Charlie Hayes, who won a World Series title with the New York Yankees 1996 team. He recorded the final out of the Series win against the Atlanta Braves catching a fly ball in 3rd base foul territory.
Boston Red Sox first baseman, Bobby Dalbec, led the Florida Grapefruit League with 7 home runs and 16 rbi during the month of March. Through July 11, he has sent the ball out of the park for 10 Home Runs and 36, RBI in 242 AB. Now in his second season with the Red Sox, he already has a career high in home runs and is one of seven Boston hitters with double digit home runs.
On the mound, Minnesota’s Kenta Maeda, allowed only one earned run in 18.1 IP, for an 0.49 ERA and 22 strikeouts against one walk in Florida Spring Training action. After heading north to Minneapolis, Maeda has made 14 starts and compiled a 4-3 record with a 4.66 ERA, and 71 strikeouts
Miami’s Sandy Alcantra made six Florida Spring Training starts, pitched 20.1 innings with 27 strikeouts while compiling a 1.33 ERA. Proving his reliability, Alcantra currently leads MLB with 19 starts, for a 5-8 record, 116.2 IP, 3.09 ERA, 102K
The Toronto Blue Jays also won a Florida Grapefruit League-leading 16 games and that success and popularity carried over into three American League starts in the 2021 All Star Game. Fans in Dunedin even got a few regular-season opportunities to see Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Marcus Semien and Teoscar Hernandez prior to the Mid-Season Classic.
Check out the 10 elected starters in tomorrow night’s All Star Game who began their seasons in March in the Florida Grapefruit League.
American League
1B: Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Toronto Blue Jays (currently leads AL with .332 average and 73 RBI)
2B: Marcus Semien, Toronto Blue Jays
SS: Xander Bgoaerts, Boston Red Sox
3B: Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox (2nd in AL with 72 RBI)
OF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
OF: Teoscar Hernandez, Toronto Blue Jays
National League
1B: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves
2B: Adam Frazier, Pittsburgh Pirates (currently leads NL with .330 batting average)
3B: Nolan Arenado, St. Louis Cardinals
OF: Ronald Acuna, Jr., Atlanta Braves (currently injured)