Well, it’s time for the third installment of our weekly countdown series known simply as “3 Up & 3 Down.” So if you’re new to the Baseball Banter Broadcast, 3 Up & 3 Down is our weekly examination of three teams playing well, three teams that aren’t. And we add in a team to “Be On the Look Out” for (or BOLO) just for good measure. So let’s examine “week two” of 3 Up & 3 Down.

FIRST UP: TAMPA BAY RAYS (21-12)

There has been no hotter team in baseball right now than the Tampa Bay Rays. Tampa was a team that was counted out by basically every prognosticator (not named Roman Rodriguez). And honestly, it seems as if every year Tampa is counted out and they find themselves playing not just competitive baseball but more often than not winning baseball. Looking at Tampa’s last ten games stretch they are 9-1, the best mark in baseball over that span. Coming off a sweep of the San Francisco Giants, Tampa has also brought up their run differential to +7, and they’re trending even higher.

FIRST DOWN: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (13-21)

Now on the other side of the coin from our first up, is the team that Tampa just swept in the San Francisco Giants. San Francisco is facing quite the predicament right now with this season not going as hoped for or expected. Over their last ten ballgames, the Giants are 2-8 and have the second worst run differential of -34 (only behind the Philadelphia Phillies at -43). And to make matters even worse for San Francisco they are in the midst of a current league worst six game losing streak. Feeling are not high by the bay, and if the team can’t turn itself around quickly, fans might be finding themselves jumping into McCovey Cove not for baseballs but to float away from the team and off into the sunset.

SECOND UP: NEW YORK YANKEES (23-11)

The one downside for our first up participant the Rays, is that the team ahead of them in the American League East division, has been basically just as hot as they have been thus far. The New York Yankees have been getting a tremendous amount of great outings by their starting pitching. Great pitching puts your team in a position to succeed. When a team isn’t always playing from behind or is able to lock things down after their team scores a run or two, then team has a chance to relax. And a relaxed team can be a dangerous team. For the Yankees, that has been how they’ve been playing baseball, relaxed and poised. Even when the team gets down a run or two they have found ways to come back thus far. New York is riding a high wave right now and thus the second up this week.

SECOND DOWN: LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM (13-22)

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are quite the enigma of baseball. Anaheim has been a team struggling with identity since they became the Los Angeles Angels without leaving the boundaries of Anaheim. At one point in the last decade the Angels had arguably two of the greatest players in MLB history in Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani out their roster at the same time, and were never good enough to even make the postseason. Only once in the illustrious career of future Hall of Famer Mike Trout has the team even made the postseason. Watching the current brand of Angels baseball leaves you sad and wondering if it will ever happen for Trout again. Over their last ten games, the Angels are 2-8 and are at -15 in run differential. After riding high a few weeks ago splitting a series in the Bronx with the Yankees, where they honestly could have and should have won all four games, the team’s trajectory has fallen on much harder times.

THIRD UP: ATLANTA BRAVES (25-10)

The Atlanta Braves continue to be hot. Obviously, the recent injury to Ronald Acuña Jr has put a slight haze over the team. However, the Braves got the best news that they could have when it comes to Ronald, so all things considered it could have been much worse. On the field however, things could not really be going any better. Over their last ten games, Atlanta is 8-2 riding a sweep of the Colorado Rockies in Colorado are a Major League best +81 in run differential. The Braves have been playing good baseball. And if they can remain relatively healthy, they could find themselves back playing October baseball.

THIRD DOWN: ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS (16-17)

The Arizona Diamondbacks have certainly hit a rough patch so far this season. Over their last ten games, the DBacks are 3-7. However, narrowing it down a little further, Arizona is in the midst of a four game losing streak. The Diamondbacks are also tied with the New York Mets for the third worse run differential mark at -31. There’s little doubt that when you’re not scoring runs you’re playing losing baseball.

BE ON LOOKOUT FOR (BOLO): CHICAGO CUBS (22-12)

The team with the longest active win streak at five wins in a row, is none other than the Chicago Cubs. Chicago has been playing good baseball all season. And with this winning streak, have overtaken the Cincinnati Reds for the National League Central division’s top spot. Over their last ten games, the Northsiders are 7-3 and have a +42 run differential. If the Cubbies can continue to play winning baseball at a 70% win rate, this team will be unstoppable and headed back to the postseason.