Opinion

We've talked plenty about David Ortiz, for reasons that amount to "duh." We've talked about Mookie Betts, who's an MVP candidate. We've had good things to say about Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley Jr., too.

With a good September, the Toronto Blue Jays could repeat as American League East champions.

With a good September, Josh Donaldson could repeat, too.

This is the final edition of Bleacher Report's MLB Team of the Week before September.

That's significant. September means something in baseball.

Pennant races suddenly become real. Standings matter. Yes, the season bleeds into October, and every game technically counts as much as any other from April onward.

But the end of August, inevitably, ushers in a newfound sense of urgency.

If Max Scherzer's American League Cy Young Award is beginning to feel lonely, it could soon have company.

In the wasteland that is the National League Cy Young race without a fully functioning Clayton Kershaw, anyone could claim this year's award. From Madison Bumgarner to Johnny Cueto to Noah Syndergaard to Jake Arrieta to Jose Fernandez, there's no shortage of strong-armed dudes vying for it.

The American League East doesn't get enough respect.

Stop yelling back at your computer (or phone or iPad) for a minute and work with me on this.

You've heard plenty this summer about the Chicago Cubs, much of it deserved. You've heard about the surprising Los Angeles Dodgers and the stumbling San Francisco Giants. You've heard about the Texas Rangers and the Washington Nationals.

The second half of the season has not been kind to the San Francisco Giants, to put it mildly.

Since the All-Star break, they've gone 11-25 with a minus-29 run differential and watched a 6.5-game lead over the archrival Los Angeles Dodgers evaporate into a three-game deficit. There are problems all over, from slumping hitters to bullpen blowups.

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez has been a revelation. That statement is supported by a heap of numbers, but let's start with a single figure: two.

That's how many times Sanchez—a 23-year-old rookie with fewer than 100 big league plate appearances to his name—was intentionally walked Wednesday.

It feels like it was only a few weeks ago that we were talking about potential breakout stars for the 2016 MLB season. Turns out that was a few months ago—and with only one month of regular-season action left, we've got a pretty good idea as to who the season's surprise studs are.

Ah, the dog days of August. Woof…

1. Sweltering Days in the AL East

One last summer ice cream break, anyone, before the stretch run cranks up to an inferno? Look out, while Baltimore (4-6 in its last 10 games into Tuesday) apparently is tempted by the Blue Moon and Cherry Vanilla double-scoop cones, Boston is gearing up for last licks.

The Boston Red Sox need pitchers. On Tuesday, Clay Buchholz looked like a pitcher.

It doesn't erase a season that can only be classified as rough, but it surely put smiles on faces in Beantown.

Buchholz mostly baffled the Tampa Bay Rays, scattering five hits and allowing just one earned run over 6.1 innings while striking out nine in a 2-1 Red Sox win.