MLB

Few players in baseball have been more consistently MVP-worthy over the past handful of seasons than Andrew McCutchen. Yet more than a month into 2015, the Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder, who has three straight top-three NL MVP finishes—including the 2013 trophy—has looked nothing like his usual MVP-caliber self.

Every offseason, the MLB hype machine sputters to life. Fans, pundits and media outlets (including us here at Bleacher Report) throw their support behind potential juggernauts and dark horses, building some clubs up and tearing others down.

Then the games start and, usually, it all goes out the window.

The start of the 2015 MLB season definitely hasn't gone to script. Just look at the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins.

While the American League East heavyweights can't seem to get on track, the Twins, who were left for dead before Opening Day even arrived, have been rolling right along. The Red Sox and the Twins represent the two types of contenders who crack a spot on this list.

If he's so inclined, Zack Greinke can end his six-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers after only three seasons at the end of 2015. He just better make sure he has a really good season first.

Seven starts in, it wouldn't be fair to call his 2015 season "really good." It's been more like "superb."

Barry Bonds is reportedly preparing a lawsuit against Major League Baseball around the possibility of collusion following the 2007 campaign.

The first five weeks of the 2015 season have been filled with surprises for the Seattle Mariners.

Offseason acquisition Nelson Cruz has been on a tear nobody could have seen coming and is currently leading the majors by a healthy margin with 14 home runs. Cruz has really helped Seattle stay afloat during a rough stretch of play.

The Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers both find themselves chasing the Kansas City Royals in the American League Central standings heading into the series opener of a three-game set at Comerica Park Tuesday.

Thank god the NL Central is a weak division.

Despite being just a .500 ballclub through their first 30 games, the Chicago Cubs find themselves in second place in the division and 6.5 games behind the strongest team in baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals.

While the Atlanta Braves got off to a sizzling 5-0 start, they have since cooled and now sit under .500 at 14-17. It's been disappointing for the Braves to have fallen under .500 so quickly after that great start.

However, this is about what we expected in 2015.

While the record may not show it, there are signs of the Braves' improvement as a team. If not for some recent bullpen struggles, that record would be significantly better.

Seattle Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez became the fourth-youngest pitcher in major league history to record 2,000 career strikeouts when he hit the mark during the fifth inning of Sunday's 4-3 win over the Oakland Athletics, per Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN Stats & Info).