August might be the most important month on the baseball calendar. A hot-or-cold streak can improve—or destroy—a team’s playoff chances, while it also represents the last opportunity for teams to bring in reinforcements from outside their organization.
But before we get fully engrossed in the upcoming trade deadline madness—the non-waiver trade deadline arrives Monday, in case you missed it—let’s take a look back at July with the latest edition of Bleacher Report’s Team of the Month.
As has been the case all season, the rules remain the same: We’ve picked 10 players—one per position, including a designated hitter and starting pitcher—who have put together noteworthy performances over the past 31 days.
While there’s a healthy dose of veterans on this month’s club, a handful of hotshot youngsters forced their way into the conversation as well.
Who stood out as July’s best of the best? Let’s take a look.