What Do We Really Know at the MLB All-Star Break? Baseball's Biggest Second-Half Questions

The MLB All-Star break is here, and baseball fans are buzzing with questions about what will happen in the second half of the season. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the best team in baseball, but almost every other team is still fighting for a playoff spot. With the trade deadline on August 3, teams must decide whether to buy players to help them win — or sell their best players for the future. The next few months could be some of the most exciting in recent baseball history.

The biggest question heading into the second half is what the Detroit Tigers will do with their star pitcher, Tarik Skubal. Skubal has won two Cy Young Awards, which are given to the best pitcher in each league. He is healthy and pitching well after coming back from injury, and the Tigers have gone 21-12 since June 1. They are now only 4½ games out of first place in the AL Central.

Many teams would love to trade for Skubal because he could help them beat the Dodgers in the playoffs. The Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, and New York Yankees have all been mentioned as possible trade partners. But Skubal himself has told friends he wants to stay in Detroit and help the Tigers make a run at the World Series. The Tigers must decide: go all in with Skubal, or trade him and rebuild.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge broke a rib on April 26 and has been on the injured list since June 5. The Yankees have really struggled without him, losing 15 of their last 22 games. Since June 18, they have scored the fewest runs in all of baseball and struck out more than any other team. Getting Judge back healthy is the most important thing the Yankees can do in the second half.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been almost unstoppable all season. They entered the All-Star break with a 61-34 record and are on pace to win 106 games. What makes it even more impressive is that several of their biggest stars — pitchers Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and closer Edwin Diaz — have barely played due to injuries. Once those players return, the Dodgers could become even more dominant.

Four teams that were expected to be bad this season have shocked everyone in the first half. The Chicago White Sox, Miami Marlins, Washington Nationals, and St. Louis Cardinals all opened the year in rebuilding mode, yet all four are in or near a playoff spot. The Marlins have been the biggest surprise, going 26-9 since June 1 — the best record in baseball in that stretch. The White Sox, who lost a record 121 games two years ago, are actually tied for first place in the AL Central.

Several managers are feeling pressure heading into the second half. In San Francisco, first-year manager Tony Vitello came from college baseball, but the Giants have been a big disappointment and almost every veteran is on the trade block. In New York, Yankees manager Aaron Boone has support from GM Brian Cashman for now, but missing the playoffs could cost him his job. In Philadelphia, interim manager Don Mattingly has the team playing so well that he might actually keep the position permanently.