The first weekend after the All-Star break brought plenty of movement across MLB, with some teams coming out sharp and others struggling to reset. The Red Sox and Brewers both looked strong across the weekend, while the Astros and Phillies ran into issues with consistency, run production, and missed opportunities. Here’s a look at the biggest winners and losers from this past weekend:
Winner: Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox had a huge weekend, going 4-0 against the Rays with a +18 run differential. Boston scored 28 total runs, while the offense finished with 35 hits, a .273 team batting average, and 9 home runs. The lineup had power throughout the weekend and consistently created enough pressure to control the series.
The pitching was just as important, especially with Boston opening the weekend with a dominant shutout. Even when Tampa Bay pushed back later in the series, the Red Sox had enough offense and late-game execution to finish the job. A four-game sweep against a division opponent is always meaningful, and this was the kind of weekend that can keep Boston’s second-half momentum rolling.
Loser: Houston Astros
The Astros had a rough weekend, going 0-3 against the Orioles with a -6 run differential. Houston scored just 6 total runs, hit only .214 as a team, and managed just 1 home run across the series. The games were close enough to steal, but the offense never created enough consistent pressure.
The pitching did enough at times to keep Houston within reach, but the lineup could not find the big hit when it mattered. When a team gets swept by a combined six runs, the margins are small, and Houston simply did not execute well enough in the biggest spots.
Winner: Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers kept rolling, going 3-0 against the Marlins with a +5 run differential. Milwaukee scored 13 total runs, finishing with 20 hits, a .208 team batting average, and 2 home runs. The offense was not overwhelming, but it came through in enough key moments to finish off the sweep.
The pitching carried the weekend for Milwaukee. The Brewers consistently kept Miami from building momentum, which gave the lineup enough room to win close games. It was not a flashy series offensively, but it was another complete weekend built on timely hitting and strong run prevention.
Loser: Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies had a disappointing weekend, going 1-2 against the Mets with a -3 run differential. Philadelphia scored just 8 total runs, and most of that production came in its lone win. The offense finished with 22 hits, a .224 team batting average, and 4 home runs, but it went quiet in the two losses.
The pitching was not the biggest issue, but the Phillies did not give themselves enough margin offensively. For a team trying to stay near the top of the NL East, dropping a home series to the Mets is the kind of weekend that stands out for the wrong reasons.
