Here are 10 quick hits looking at the second half of Major League Baseball, which begins this weekend across the country:

Tampa’s semi-tumble continue?

The Tampa Bay Rays were the best team in Major League Baseball. By far.

Then two months happened. After a legendary 29-7 start, the Rays are 29-28 over the next nine weeks.

What has happened is the Atlanta Braves became the best in baseball and the Baltimore Orioles are licking their chops at being the best team in the American League, down two games (four fewer wins) at the All-Star break.

Did Padres buy

mediocrity?

The San Diego Padres tried the George Steinbrenner method of building a champion. They have tried to buy a pennant and World Series.

They also gave up some nice prospects to get future $400 million guy, Juan Soto, who has been pretty good … at best.

Despite having a pretty good starting rotation — Blake Snell, 6-7, 2.85; Yu Darvish, 5-6, 4.87; Joe Musgrove, 8-2, 3.29 ERA, Michael Wacha, 8-2, 2.84; and Seth Lugo, 3-4, 3.39 — and by the far the most star-studded every day lineup, they have been far below expectations.

Talk is that Soto is up for grabs, having another arbitration year in 2024, albeit an expensive one that’ll pay north of $25 million.

The Padres have not had a winning streak of more than three games. That’s embarrassing with this group.

Of maybe that’s the problem. They aren’t embarrassed.

Are Red Sox back in mix?

The Boston Red Sox were teetering on being sellers with some potential, nicely priced veterans available — pitcher James Paxton, outfielder Alex Verdugo, utility guy Kike Hernandez and outfielder/DH Adam Duvall.

But by winning eight of nine, and getting within a pair of games of the last Wild Card spot in the A.L., they could, with a few additions, be a threat come October.

They are thin in the back of the starting rotation, using a few guys like Garrett Whitlock and Tanner Houck, whom might be more suited for a strengthened bullpen. The Red Sox have some decent prospects that could net them a fourth and fifth starter without giving up their prized guys.

Yankees in revolution-mode?

Among the teams at the top of the baseball analytics charts, the Yankees are a top five team. But when they fired their major league hitting coach (Dylan Lawson) and replaced him with non-analytics hitting coach (Sean Casey). All bets are off with predicting the immediate Yankees future.

It appears they are ready to deal for both short-term and long-term answers. In fact, Juan Soto, seems like an obvious choice. He’s a huge personality and seems to adore the spotlight. Then there is Cards third baseman Nolan Arenado, who is “only” 32 and has four years and $94 million to be paid through 2027 as a 30-homer, 100-RBI and defensive stalwart at third base.

The Yankees have traded their prospects before, but Soto and/or Arenado would be pillage their system. The Yankees could also be looking for a starter.

The point is the Yankees are vulnerable and also, it appears, ready to deal.

Ohtani for sale?

Red Sox ownership got crucified for dealing Mookie Betts. Well, the Angels would get lambasted for dealing away Shoei Ohtani, the best player in the sport, even if they got a king’s ransom in prospects.

Not only that, but the team that has to acquire him would probably already have a deal in place to for that $500 million contract, for at least $50 million per.

The Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers would have to be the favorites. The Angels will get nothing if he leaves and he is on record as saying “winning” will dictate where he plays in 2024 and beyond.

Anderson on outs in Chicago?

The Chicago White Sox have a way of dulling down talent. Exhibit A, is Tim Anderson, the star shortstop who hasn’t been a star in 2023. Headed to stardom, coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons and four straight in which he battled for the A.L.’s top batting average, he is lumbering at .230 and apparently not happy.

While he comes under the “different cat” category, recently going through personal issues, his value is low while he will only make $14 million in the last year of his deal in 2024.

In the right situation, maybe as a second baseman, he could flourish again … maybe? This is too quick of a fall from grace having just turned 30.

Will O’s, Rangers, Marlins bubble burst?

Three semi-unexpected good stories in 2023 has been the upward climb of the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers and Miami Marlins. They’re not just good, but all are teetering on very good and maybe even World Series contender.

All three have talent. The Orioles have been building toward this, rather slowly, with some great drafts. The Rangers have done it a little differently, via free agency and a few nice trades. and yes, a nice draft pick in third baseman Josh Jung. and the Marlins are more scary long-term, looking like a Tampa Bay Rays with some really good young players, still not household names.

The thought is these three teams will be around for a few years, but will they get a little of the rookie “World Series-contending” bug that hits teams heading into August.

How did Diamondbacks do it?

The Arizona Diamondbacks are a bit of a surprise, at least earlier this season, contending for not only a Wild Card spot but the AL West Division title with the L.A. Dodgers, one game out of first place and 2.5 games ahead of the fourth Wild Card team.

The bigger picture reasons are they are more complete offensively and defensively, going from below average in both categories to above average. They are a better team, top to bottom, with four starters having 15 homers or more, and three starting pitchers with ERA’s just over three runs per game.

But there two other keys — 22-year-old outfielder Corbin Carroll and 23-year-old infielder Geraldo Perdomo, both All-Stars. They are exciting and fearless. Expect an all-out battle until the end of the regular season for the division.

What up with AL

Central?

If the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians, at 45-45, were in the AL East they would be in last place and 3.5 games out of the third and final Wild Card spot. In other words, they’d be screwed, maybe even thinking about selling some of its top players at the trade deadline at the end of this month.

Instead, they are in a black-and-blue battle with the Minnesota Twins, at 45-46, a half game behind, for the division lead and No. 3 seed in the American League.

Is it embarrassing? Well, the Guardians and Twins organizations and fan bases would probably say, based on the marketplace they are in, they are good with the semi-laughable situation.

The AL Central, as a whole, is 67 games under .500. The AL East is 63 games above .500. and the top two teams, Tampa Bay and Baltimore, are more in like with Cleveland and Minnesota when it comes to dollars available to spend on talent.

Both have pretty good pitching staffs. But that isn’t enough to get to 85 wins, which would be respectable for a division champion.

Braves the team to beat?

The Atlanta Braves are not just good or very good. In 2023, they’ve been great. They not only have seven players with 14 or more home runs, including three guys in the 20s, but they have two All-Star starters, both 24, Bryce Elder (Bryce Elder (7-2, 2.97) and Spencer Strider (166 Ks in 104.2 IP) and another All-Star-caliber guy at the top in vet Charlie Morton (9-6, 3.33).

Oh yeah, the best player in the NL if Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (.331, 21 HR, 55 RBI). There is no stopping this team other than the Dodgers meeting expectations.

The Braves are the best team in baseball. Period. and yes, I don’t see them slowing down.