MLB

Are you for real?

That's the question we're asking of each MLB playoff hopeful a month and change into the 2016 season.

It's too early to know for certain, of course. We've got a summer's worth of injuries, trades, hot streaks and cold spells to slog through before the postseason picture becomes clear.

But it's never too early to speculate. And we've got tools at our disposal, including stats, trends, track records and, of course, a dollop of old-fashioned gut feeling.

Shelby Miller could throw a no-hitter in his next start. He could rip off a streak of run-suppressing dominance and propel the Arizona Diamondbacks to the top of the National League West standings.

Those things could happen, and if they do, what you're about to read will seem silly and alarmist and premature.

I'm willing to take that risk.

Be careful out there. 'Tis the season when you never know if a Giancarlo Stanton home run ball might come falling out of the sky.

The Miami Marlins right fielder went into Wednesday with five home runs in his last eight games. The Marlins won all but one of those, bringing themselves from well under .500 to a nice, respectable 13-12.

Hoping for a strong bounce-back season in 2016, New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner will have to battle through an elbow injury.

Continue for updates.

As Major League Baseball's investigation into an alleged domestic violence incident continues, Atlanta Braves outfielder Hector Olivera reportedly had his paid leave extended on Wednesday. 

David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported MLB extended Olivera's leave.

New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi announced Tuesday he will begin working Aroldis Chapman into some save situations when the closer returns from his suspension on May 9, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers have suspended troubled infielder Erisbel Arruebarrena for the remainder of the 2016 season. 

As the Atlanta Braves make their way through a long rebuilding season in 2016, the future of manager Fredi Gonzalez is sure to be a hot topic of conversation. 

At least one MLB player is expected to be suspended in the coming days for the use of the drug Turinabol, according to T.J. Quinn of ESPN.com, with two sources revealing to Outside the Lines that the "positive test is one of a handful being processed."  

Contrary to the knee-jerk reactions we see after every half-inning, much less every game, one month does not guarantee success or failure in Major League Baseball. Sure, teams would rather sprint out to an early division lead than try and dig their way out of a hole, but there's a lot of baseball yet to be played.