1 Reason for Every MLB Fanbase to Be Excited Already

The 2024 MLB season is four weeks old today, so go ahead and break out the balloons and party blowers.

For that matter, go ahead and keep them out. Because this is a celebration that's going to extend to every team in the league.

Having previously broken down what all 30 fanbases should be nervous about so far in 2024, we're now going to consider the other side of the coin. What should fans be excited about?

An individual player? A group of players? A team-wide strength? The general vibes coming off the team?

All these are fair game, so let's not waste any more time and get right to it. We'll proceed in alphabetical order by city and check off three teams at a time.

Arizona Diamondbacks: This Offense Is Relentless

Record: 12-14, T-3rd in NL West

The D-backs have scored 10 more runs than any other team, so this is certainly the reality of things in a macro sense. But also in a micro sense, as they've had twice as many games (4) with 12 or more runs scored than the next-best team.

Sustainable? Probably not unless Arizona can keep up its .899 OPS with runners in scoring position all year. But the lineup does feel deeper than it did in 2023, and the thing to keep in mind is that Corbin Carroll hasn't gotten going yet.

Atlanta: This Offense Is Also Relentless

Record: 17-6, 1st in NL East

This could be about Marcell Ozuna, who's thus far been hitting like it's 2020 all over again as he's mashed nine home runs and driven in 29. But, really, he's just one part of an offense that leads the majors in batting average and both on-base and slugging percentage.

Plus, this offense's peak probably hasn't happened yet. Ozzie Albies and Sean Murphy should be back from injuries soon, and it should only be a matter of time before Ronald Acuña Jr. closes the 40-homer gap between his 2023 output and his output so far in 2024.

Baltimore Orioles: Craig Kimbrel Is More Than Filling In for Félix Bautista

Record: 16-8, 2nd in AL East

The Orioles are another early offensive success story, as they lead the majors with 37 home runs and the American League in slugging and OPS. But let's instead shift gears and talk about Kimbrel's somewhat surprising resurgence in the closer's role.

Bautista, who's recovering from Tommy John surgery, dominated last year while the 35-year-old Kimbrel continued to show signs of Post-Prime Disorder. But now he has allowed only one earned run with 17 strikeouts and two walk to show for 11 innings.

Boston Red Sox: What a Turnaround for This Pitching Staff

Record: 14-11, 3rd in AL East

Of all the things nobody expected to happen this year, the Red Sox being a pitching powerhouse was up there among the more unimaginable events. They had a 4.53 ERA across 2022 and 2023, and they lost ostensibly their best pitcher during spring training.

And yet, there the Red Sox are leading MLB in ERA. That they're doing so almost entirely with holdovers from 2023 is a credit to many people, but none more so than to chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and pitching coach Andrew Bailey for the work they've done.

Chicago Cubs: They Made Two of the Offseason's Best Additions

Record: 15-9, 2nd in NL Central

The Cubs faced a tough challenge in salvaging their offseason after missing out on Shohei Ohtani, but what they ultimately did looked good on paper. Bringing back Cody Bellinger, especially, still figures to be a major difference-maker in the long run.

Even better-looking now, though, are the Michael Busch trade and the Shōta Imanaga signing. The former has thus far yielded a .909 OPS and six homers, with the latter having made four starts in which he's allowed only two earned runs in 21.1 innings.

Chicago White Sox: The Return on the Dylan Cease Trade Is Looking Good

Record: 3-21, 5th in NL Central

Garrett Crochet had been off to an impressive start, but not so much now that his velocity is down and the runs are starting to pile up. As such, the only real bright side at the big league level for the White Sox is that there are only 138 games left in the season.

It's best to look to the future, where guys like Drew Thorpe and Jairo Iriarte loom large. After coming over together in the trade that sent Cease to San Diego, they've thus far allowed a total of three earned runs in 37 innings for Double-A Birmingham.

Cincinnati Reds: Elly De La Cruz!

Record: 14-10, 3rd in NL Central

Remember when De La Cruz went invisible (or at the very least, translucent) down the stretch of his rookie season in 2023? Me neither. Because who thinks of stuff like that when he's doing what he's doing this season?

The 1.063 OPS, seven homers and 15 stolen bases are nice. Also nice are the walk rate increase and the ongoing penchant for barreling the ball. What we're seeing is what was promised when De La Cruz arrived: one of the most exciting players in MLB.

Cleveland Guardians: No José Ramírez? No Problem.

Record: 17-7, 1st in AL Central

Any slump on the part of Ramírez last year posed a huge threat to the Guardians' offensive wellbeing. Ultimately, they finished in the bottom five of the American League in runs and OPS even with him posting an .831 OPS and 24 homers.

The .682 OPS that Ramírez has in 2024 should thus signal panic time, but it hasn't. The Guardians offense is doing fine, riding hot starts from Josh Naylor and Steven Kwan to the second-most runs in the AL. It makes one wonder what'll happen when Ramírez gets hot.

Colorado Rockies: Ezequiel Tovar Looks Worthy of That Extension

Record: 6-19, 5th in NL West

The Rockies are bad, and to pretend like they'll be good any time soon would be an exercise in magical thinking. But, hey, at least they're positioned to get a steal on the seven-year, $63.5 million deal they did with Tovar in March.

He's batting .302 with an .811 OPS, with improvements in both the exit velocity and hard-hit rate departments. And lest anyone forget, he was among the top 10 defenders of 2023 by way of Outs Above Average. Clearly, the Rockies are right to want to build around him.

Detroit Tigers: Not Just Pitching, But Pitching and Defense

Record: 14-11, 3rd in AL Central

The Tigers rank third in MLB with a 3.00 ERA, which naturally speaks to how good their pitching has been. It's largely the Tarik Skubal Effect, as the lefty has been perhaps the best pitcher in MLB over his last 20 starts.

Yet it's not all pitching that's keeping runs off the board for the Tigers. What they have that, say, the Red Sox don't is an efficient defense, which is especially apparent when Parker Meadows is doing his thing in center field.

Houston Astros: At Least the Offense Is There

Record: 7-18, 5th in AL West

This is not the start that the Astros wanted. And we can be real that there are legit concerns about both the health and the general quality of their pitching staff, and about how they could potentially linger all year.

However, things could be worse offensively. Jose Altuve, Yordan Álvarez and Kyle Tucker are off to strong starts and the team leads the AL in average and on-base percentage. It hasn't translated to many runs yet, but it will when better luck with ducks on the pond arrives.

Kansas City Royals: Bobby Witt Jr. Isn't Doing It All

Record: 15-10, 2nd in AL Central

Which is not to say Witt hasn't been fun to watch. He absolutely has been, as he's thus far hitting .317 with 15 extra-base hits and seven stolen bases. But as good as those numbers are, they're hardly the sole explanation for why the Royals are fourth in the AL in scoring.

Salvador Perez, Vinnie Pasquantino and MJ Melendez have also pitched in, and the offense in general is one of four that's gotten multiple home runs from eight different players. It's a welcome improvement from the threadbare offense the Royals have had in recent years.

Los Angeles Angels: Mike Trout Is Healthy and Thriving

Record: 10-15, 3rd in AL West

To give credit where credit is due, it shouldn't be overlooked that the Angels have two excellent lefties in their rotation. Reid Detmers and Tyler Alexander have made 10 starts and have pitched to a combined 1.95 ERA.

But as cool as that is, Trout leading the majors with 10 home runs and stealing as many bases as he did in 2021, 2022 and 2023 combined is cooler. It feels like seeing an old friend again for the first time in a long time.

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Mookie Betts-Shohei Ohtani Duo Is Magic

Record: 15-11, 1st in NL West

The Dodgers have their issues, some of which (i.e., Freddie Freeman's power outage) will eventually resolve themselves and some of which (i.e., the outfield) may need more aggressive treatment.

But if nothing else, The Betts-Ohtani Show is the hottest ticket in town right now. They've batted first and second in the order for every game this year and have produced a 1.111 OPS, 12 homers and 10 steals. Awesome stuff. Just awesome.

Miami Marlins: They Might Have Something in Max Meyer

Record: 6-20, 5th in NL East

For the Marlins, the future doesn't look a whole lot better than the present. Most of their potential trade chips are struggling, as is the one and only prospect (right-hander Noble Meyer) they have in B/R's Joel Reuter's top 100.

The best thing that's happened to the Marlins this year is when the other Meyer (i.e., Max) made three starts in the majors and posted a 2.12 ERA. He was subsequently demoted for, ahem, reasons, but at least it's something for Marlins fans to cling to.

Milwaukee Brewers: Offense Isn't As Much of a Concern This Year

Record: 15-8, 1st in NL Central

The Brewers won 92 games and the NL Central title last year, but them mustering only five runs in the two postseason games they got to play in was hardly a surprise. They hadn't hit all season, really.

Though it's been feast or famine as far as runs go, that hasn't been the case in 2024. The Brewers are second the NL in home runs and third in OPS. And this is with Christian Yelich, who had been their hottest hitter, sidelined since April 12.

Minnesota Twins: At Least the Bullpen Is in Good Shape

Record: 10-13, 4th in AL Central

It's hard to sugarcoat how the Twins have begun this season, particularly with regard to what's been an anemic offense and a starting rotation that, though not without its bright spots, has been hit or miss.

The bullpen does have a 2.72 ERA, however, and that's with resident flamethrower Jhoan Duran still out with an oblique strain. Hopefully, he'll be but one of many pieces that falls into place for the Twins as the season goes along.

New York Mets: The Offense Has Come Around

Record: 13-11, 3rd in NL East

Not so much recently, mind you, as the Mets managed only three runs amid a three-game losing streak during their West Coast swing through Los Angeles and San Francisco. Go back to April 8, however, and the offense has averaged 5.9 runs per game.

It's mostly been The Pete Alonso Show, as he's put up a 1.041 OPS with five of his seven homers in this span. But others have contributed as well, and still another boost is due to arrive when J.D. Martinez (hopefully) makes his Mets debut on Friday.

New York Yankees: Juan Soto Has Been Even Better Than Advertised

Record: 17-8, 1st in AL East

This is not to snub Carlos Rodón, who's so far been in 2024 what the Yankees hoped he would be in 2023. That's an ace, as he hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his first five starts.

But, come on, this season has been all about Soto. He's been everything the Yankees could have hoped for and more, not only posting a .995 OPS but really injecting some energy into the fanbase as well. Never mind "MVP!" They should be chanting "Pay This Man!"

Oakland Athletics: They Might Have MLB's Best Closer

Record: 9-16, 4th in AL West

That the A's are even this competitive amounts to a huge step up from last season, wherein they were a 112-loss glob of depressing goo. And when they have had a lead, that's when things have genuinely been exciting.

Because that, of course, means it's Miller Time. Mason Miller has rightfully earned everyone's attention by cranking out more 100 mph fastballs than anyone else, not to mention striking out half the batters he's faced. He's a sensation, plain and simple.

Philadelphia Phillies: No Sympathy Ovation for Trea Turner This Time

Record: 15-10, 2nd in NL East

First, a quick note on the Phillies' starting rotation: It rocks. The guys therewithin have a 2.20 ERA over a league-leading 147 innings. If the Phillies end up winning the NL East, this could be the No. 1 reason.

Otherwise, it's a relief that Turner has started this year so much differently than he started 2023. It wasn't until he got that standing ovation in August that he finally clicked last year. Not so much this year, and especially lately as he's put up a .991 OPS since April 8.

Pittsburgh Pirates: How Does a Paul Skenes-Jared Jones Duo Sound?

Record: 13-12, 4th in NL Central

The Pirates already have an up-and-coming ace in their midst, and that's Jones. His 2.79 ERA through five starts is good. The through-the-roof ratings on his stuff and ability to miss bats are even better.

Meanwhile, Skenes is lurking at Triple-A Indianapolis. When he'll get the call remains fuzzy, but you can hardly blame the guy for being antsy. The No. 1 pitching prospect in MLB has faced 66 batters and struck out 34 of them, with only one earned run allowed in 17 innings.

San Diego Padres: The Dylan Cease Trade Is Also Working Out for Them

Record: 14-13, 2nd in NL West

There have been positive developments for the Padres on the offensive side, including the return of Jake Cronenworth and the rise of Jackson Merrill. But knowing what they gave up, it's especially crucial that they're also getting what they want out of the Cease trade.

The righty hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of his five starts, the last four of which have also seen him go at least six innings. The 11 walks aren't great, but coming through with an MLB-low .113 batting average is a nice way to balance out the ol' WHIP.

San Francisco Giants: They Were Right About Jordan Hicks

Record: 12-14, T-3rd in NL West

Of all the signings that went down this winter, the most unexpected was arguably the Giants picking up Hicks on a four-year, $44 million deal. It sounded like a reach even before they revealed their plans to convert him from a reliever to a starter.

Well, now he has a 1.61 ERA through five starts. That's with only 18 strikeouts in 28 innings, granted, but he's been throwing strikes and keeping the ball on the ground. It's as if the Giants have a second Logan Webb.

Seattle Mariners: There's No Way They've Peaked Yet

Record: 12-12, 2nd in AL West

Only in the AL West would the Mariners be in second place, and they generally shouldn't be feeling too comfortable. The Rangers and Astros are better than they've shown, and the Mariners themselves have much to figure out.

Then again, that second part is also the beauty of it. They're absolutely going to get more from Julio Rodríguez and Luis Castillo, and Mitch Garver and J.P. Crawford should have more to offer as well. Once these pieces and more fall into place, watch out.

St. Louis Cardinals: Sonny Gray Is Keeping Things Bright

Record: 11-14, 5th in NL Central

The Cardinals weren't a good team in 2023, and they're not making a good case that anything has changed in 2024. They haven't hit or pitched well, and their problems (most notably Paul Goldschmidt's frigid bat) in both arenas are real indeed.

But at the least, they seemed to have scored a major win on Gray's three-year, $75 million deal. Though he missed the early portion of the year with a strained hamstring, he's since been the ace the Cardinals didn't have last year to the tune of a 1.04 ERA in three starts.

Tampa Bay Rays: The Cavalry Is Coming

Record: 13-13, 5th in AL East

It feels weird to say this about a last-place team, but the Rays aren't this good. Not much has been clicking for them in general, and their minus-24 run differential suggests their record should be more like 11-15.

However, the team they have now won't be the team they have all year. Brandon Lowe, Josh Lowe and Shane Baz are three of several key players they stand to get off the IL, and they also have fifth-ranked prospect Junior Caminero in the minors. Patience is warranted.

Texas Rangers: Adolis García Brought His October Bat into 2024

Record: 13-12, 1st in AL West

There's a version of these Rangers that has hot-hitting versions of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien and healthy versions of Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom. And be warned: This version coming to fruition is just a matter of time.

In the meantime, just sit back and watch García crush baseballs. He's swinging it as if last year's playoffs never ended, and especially so with men on base (.964 OPS) and runners in scoring position (1.140 OPS). He's as entertaining a hitter as there is in MLB right now.

Toronto Blue Jays: José Berríos Is Pitching Like He Wants a Cy Young Award

Record: 13-12, 3rd in AL East

Despite ongoing concerns about the offense, the Blue Jays have come around with seven wins in their last 10 games. It helps that Berríos has pitched twice in this span and done...well, what he's been doing since Day 1, really.

The righty has taken the ball five times and turned in 31.2 innings with just three earned runs allowed. Such dominance doesn't quite pass the smell test, but the Blue Jays will take as much of it as they can get.

Washington Nationals: They're Winning the Juan Soto Trade

Record: 10-13, 4th in NL East

This, mind you, would be the first Soto trade, in which he went to San Diego alongside Josh Bell in 2022. The deal never really lived up to the hype for the Padres, whereas the Nationals are only beginning to see the best of three key players who came back in return.

CJ Abrams is breaking out with a 1.013 OPS and MacKenzie Gore is chugging along with a 3.62 ERA in 20 innings. And for his part, James Wood has been pounding on the door to the majors by raking in spring training and keeping it up for Triple-A Rochester.

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.