Assessing the AL Division Leaders & Offense Holding Steady Despite Increased Drag

Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball

The Athletic

Baseball, Sports

4.9 • 746 Ratings

🗓️ 2 July 2025

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Eno, Jed, and DVR discuss the three division leaders in the American League, examining the strengths and weaknesses of the Astros, Tigers, and Yankees with the Trade Deadline looming at the end of the month. Plus, they explore how offense has held up to 2024 levels despite the increased drag on the baseball this season.

Rundown

1:03 Yordan Alvarez's Setback & Increasing Needs for a Left-Handed Bat in Houston

10:13 Balancing Team Spending Limits w/Available Upgrades

20:59 The Tigers Have a Commanding Lead in the Central

36:53 Yankees Under Pressure in the AL East

47:52 Drag on the Baseball is Up, But Offense is Steady

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Follow DVR on Bluesky: @dvr.bsky.social

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Hosts: Derek VanRiper & Eno Sarris

With: Jed Lowrie

Producer: Brian Smith

Executive Producer: Derek VanRiper

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Rates and Barrels, presented by E-Trade from Morgan Stanley. It is Wednesday, July 2nd.
0:17.8	Derek Ben-Riperino, Sarah's Jed Lowry here with you on this episode.
0:21.0	It's a companion pod to the Tuesday episode in this feed.
0:24.2	We are taking a look at the AL division leaders,
0:27.7	trying to figure out what direction those teams are going in the second half,
0:30.9	what they're likely to do at the trade deadline at the end of this month.
0:35.1	We also have a big picture question.
0:37.2	We're going to try to answer a little bit later on in the show.
0:39.7	Drag on the baseball is up, but offense is not down.
0:43.5	We'll dig into why that might be the case in just a little while.
0:48.5	Gentlemen, a lot of ground to cover today and in the effort of avoiding an 85-minute pod
0:53.3	and pushing Eno from one pod to another
0:56.0	with no lunch.
0:57.0	We're going to go right after it.
0:58.6	We're going to start in the AL West.
1:00.3	We have some news as we get started today.
1:03.0	Jordan Alvarez was shut down from all activities after experiencing some soreness
1:07.9	while taking swings on Monday.
1:10.2	Prior to that, he was tracking toward a return maybe this weekend,
1:14.6	which the Astros, I think, really need despite the fact that they've opened up a sizable lead in the ALS.
1:21.1	They're up to a seven-game lead now on July 2nd.
1:24.5	Now, the follow-up plan is that he's going to see a specialist the next few days.
	...

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