A look at 10 most intriguing teams, hitters & pitchers over first three weeks

Two weeks is hardly enough time to draw conclusions about a 162-game season, but it is plenty of time to create intriguing storylines about both teams and players, and nowhere more so than right here in New York. Already it’s fair to ask if the so-so Yankees are burdened by high expectations, and whether the high-flying Mets are benefiting as much from a change in leadership as good health.

Around the majors, meanwhile, against all odds Shohei Ohtani is living up to the Babe-Ruth-of-Japan hype, while Yu Darvish is making the Cubs wonder if he was worth the $126-million contract, and Manny Machado is already inviting the bidding to begin on his free agency.

With all of that in mind, I offer three lists of Top 10 most intriguing starts to the season: teams, position players, and starting pitchers.

TEAMS 1. ANGELS: It looks like GM Billy Eppler hit the jackpot with Ohtani, partly because he spent years scouting him and establishing a relationship while still Brian Cashman’s assistant GM in the Bronx.

Eppler made some other sound moves this winter, signing Zack Cozart and trading for Ian Kinsler, that are helping the Angels pile up runs early, meaning that Mike Trout finally has more help around him.

However, I’m not sold on whether the pitching, better than expected so far in part due to Ohtani, will hold up over 162 games.

2. METS: You knew they had a chance to be good again if they could ever stay healthy, and even losing two catchers in one day can be overcome if the big names, and particularly the pitchers, can avoid injury.

As of Friday the Mets had the lowest ERA in the NL, and it’s hard not to think Mickey Callaway and pitching coach Dave Eiland have had a significant effect on both performance and even health.

No less significant, their sweep of the Nationals sent the belief level in the clubhouse soaring, which this team needed badly after 2017.

3. DODGERS: They miss Justin Turner, sure, but as of Friday the 4-7 Dodgers had scored only 39 runs, second-lowest in the NL to the Reds. Nobody has hit much, including last year’s rookie sensation, Cody Bellinger, and that figures to change eventually.

Still, after three straight division titles and a lot of October baseball that hasn’t resulted in a long-awaited title, it’s possible the Dodgers could take a step back, especially after lowering the payroll to get under the luxury-tax threshold.

And with Clayton Kershaw’s opt-out looming, there could be a lot of drama out in Hollywood this summer.

4. RED SOX: Maybe all the Sox needed was nine games against the Rays and Marlins to start hot and ride an early wave of confidence to a series win over the Yankees. We’ll see about that.

Or maybe all the Stanton-Judge hype putting a chip on their shoulder helped too. So far the Sox have pitched great, but David Price’s curious handtingling injury after one bad inning against the Yankees makes you wonder about him, as you do about Rick Porcello’s hot start.

5. YANKEES: No doubt they’ll hit, but already it’s fair to ask if their starting pitching is good enough to win the AL East, never mind a championship, especially after their rough series in Fenway Park this week. Sonny Gray, in particular, continues to be a disappointment, and it seems inevitable that Brian Cashman will have to trade for a top starter come July.

However, I’m still convinced the bullpen will be the difference-making weapon everyone expects, despite shaky outings from most of their key relievers. And the way Giancarlo Stanton handled his early booing in the Bronx, with accountability and even some humor, bodes well for him and his team.

6. NATIONALS: Man, does this team miss Daniel Murphy. The Nats don’t look the same without the lefthanded bat that helped turn this team into an offensive juggernaut the last two seasons, and he may not be back for another 3-4 weeks as he recovers from off-season microfracture knee surgery.

Bryce Harper has hit a bunch of home runs early, but without Murphy’s lefthanded bat, the lineup is mostly righthanded and much easier to pitch to.

There is a lot of pressure on this team to finally win in October as Harper heads for free agency, and with a new manager, who knows how they’ll respond to a slow start.

7. CUBS: They talked all winter about getting back to their 2016 championship level, and I thought they’d be off and running as well, but it hasn’t happened.

Darvish, winless with a 6.00 ERA after three starts, hasn’t helped, but the Cubs have been inconsistent offensively, to the point where you have to ask if maybe their ballyhooed nucleus of young position players, even with superstar Kris Bryant, isn’t as dynasty-worthy as many thought.

8. ASTROS: They’re loaded and off to the strong start everyone expected, mostly because of the deepest starting rotation in baseball, with Justin Verlander looking re-born and Gerrit Cole coming over from the Pirates. It’d be fun to see the Angels give them a battle for the AL West title, but more than likely the only question is whether the Astros can run the October

gauntlet Joe again and become the first team to repeat since the Torre Yankees.

9. DIAMONDBACKS: OK, so who had the D-Backs at 9-3, as of Friday, if you knew Zack Greinke would have a 5.29 ERA? With strong pitching from the likes of Zack Godley, Patrick Corbin, and Taijuan Walker, and plenty of offense, Arizona so far is proving its wild-card season was no fluke.

10. PIRATES: Trading Cole and Andrew McCutchen looked like the start of a rebuild, yet GM Neal Huntington insisted all along the Pirates had enough young talent to contend. With Gregory Polanco, Josh Bell, and Colin Moran, one of the players they got for Cole, off to hot starts, there’s a chance he was right.

POSITION PLAYERS 1. OHTANI: Scouts are amazed at how he adapted so quickly to elite velocity, after looking bad in spring training, by ditching the leg kick he used in Japan and quickening his stroke. Angels need his pitching more, but his two-way game is the best story of this young season.

2. STANTON: Handled Bronx booing very professionally, and hit some lasers in Boston, but still fascinating to see how he holds up under huge expectations.

3. MANNY MACHADO: Great defense back at SS, combined with a hot start offensively, has some thinking he could command bigger FA contract than Bryce Harper.

4. HARPER: Speaking of which… six HRs in his first 13 games: the price is already rising for him as well.

5. YOENIS CESPEDES: Twenty strikeouts and .178 average in first 11 games raised eyebrows, but he also hit some big HRs, and Cespedes is seemingly very motivated. Just needs to stay healthy.

6. ROBBIE CANO: Off to a smoking start, at .406 through 10 games, but you know Cano can still hit. Intrigue is whether he ever plays in October, post-Yankees.

7. RHYS HOSKINS: Following up sensational rookie callup last summer with a hot start, Hoskins looks like a superstar in the making for the Phillies.

8. AARON JUDGE: Hitting the ball all over ballpark early to remove any doubt about being a one-year wonder. Triple crown in his future?

9. RYAN ZIMMERMAN: Hitting .105 as of Friday after convincing new manager he didn’t need to play in spring training games. Killing the Nats, especially with Murphy out.

10. MIKE MOUSTAKAS: Got the worst of the free-agent freeze, but after crawling back to KC on one-year deal, he’s taking it out on pitchers, hitting .341 with .960 OPS through 11 games. STARTING PITCHERS 1. Darvish: Has started this season at least somewhat the way he finished last October. A 6.00 ERA is not what Cubs had in mind for $126 million. 2. Sonny Gray: Pressure will start to mount if Gray (6.92 ERA) doesn’t raise his game. Yanks gave up a lot to get him last summer. 3. Cole: Has started brilliantly for Astros: especially intriguing because Cashman essentially passed on trading for him. 4. Kershaw: Winless despite a 1.89 ERA through three starts. Will he ever win a championship? Would anything convince him to leave LA via opt-out? 5. Max Scherzer: Has a 0.91 ERA and 27 Ks in three starts. Could he win a third straight Cy Young Award, and fourth overall? 6. Charlie Morton: Remarkable latecareer transformation from journeyman to stud for Astros continues. Threw 12 scoreless innings in first two starts. 7. Noah Syndergaard: Came out throwing 101 mph in first spring training game, but has had early command issues. Post-lat injury, will he reach touted potential? 8. Dallas Keuchel: Has been very hittable early, after slippage and injuries last year. Looms as free-agent target for Yankees, but only if he regains dominance. 9. David Price: His redemption season began with two gems vs. Rays, but early exit vs. Yanks again raises question: will he ever live up to big contract in Boston? 10. Jose Berrios: Scouts predict multiple Cy Young Awards for Twins’ 23-year-old. Began season with shutout over Orioles. In three starts has 24 Ks, one walk.