MLB Power Rankings
Baseball season has not disappointed unless you’re a fan of one of the bottom-tier teams. We are nearly three weeks into the 2024 season and seeing a significant shakeup among teams. Honestly, we don’t have near enough data to assume these are the way the teams will be playing and looking heading into October, but hey, why not try to predict using what we’ve got? The following are power rankings for all 30 MLB teams. The rankings were compiled using a combination of team hitting (AVG, OPS) and team pitching (ERA, WHIP, AVGa). When compiling all of this, along with injuries, trends, and gut feelings (yes, I hate your favorite team), we get a rather intriguing list. Three NL Central teams in the top-10? Is it a two-way race for the AL Central? All AL East teams in the top 15? Let’s dive in and see where your favorite team lands…
1. Baltimore Orioles: My World Series favorites are not disappointing! The Baltimore Orioles are one of MLB’s hottest teams and it is only going to keep getting better. They are scorching at the plate, ranking 7th in AVG and 3rd in OPS. Combine this with ranking 8th in ERA and 4th in WHIP, and you can see why this team is the #1 ranked team. This organization is DEEP. There is production coming from all over the lineup and more waiting patiently at AAA. Their pitching might be the best cumulative pitching staff in baseball, and there are no signs of slowing down.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers: It’s amazing what money can buy. I can completely understand if you want to swap the Dodgers and Braves here, but my rationale for this ranking is all about health. Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani, and Mookie Betts might be the most frightening trio of bats to face. They’re predicted to all finish with more than 100 RBIs which hasn’t happened since a Yankees lineup featured Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams. The Dodgers also feature a pitching staff that has been pitching out of this world. As of now, LA is the team to beat in the National League.
3. Cleveland Guardians: Well, well, well, what a cheeky team we have here at #3. Cleveland is no stranger to the limelight and is generally a solid team that will push for the top of the division. Top-10 in hitting combined with top-10 pitching will get you far. If they keep this pace up, they could very well push for the AL pennant and not just another division title. Shane Bieber getting hurt is unfortunate, but they seem to be doing just fine without him for the time being.
4. New York Yankees: How does one not put the Yankees in the top 5? This team, no matter how you feel about them, is good. Real good. They have legit pitching that’s top-15 in the league and that’s without ace Gerrit Cole. As you can guess, they are top-10 in batting metrics as well. This team is going to be a force this year and should break through their postseason barriers. Is New York finally returning to the top of baseball stardom?
5. Atlanta Braves: It felt odd putting Atlanta at #5 on this list. After all, they have the best homegrown roster in the league right now. .20 points higher than the #2 team in AVG and nearly .100 points higher in OPS, this team will HAMMER the ball. Yes, they lost Spencer Strider and the pitching is not nearly as good without him there, but the rest of the arms are not nobodies. Plus, they are getting good ROIs on Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez. The only question that remains is whether or not they can make it back to the big game.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates: Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve seen this movie before. Pittsburgh gets off to a scorching hot start and then tapers off down the stretch only to repeat it the following year. Here’s where I am considering this year to be a bit different. The Pirates currently boast a top-10 pitching staff, based on stats, and have the 2023 #1 overall pick waiting in the winds. While the hitting isn’t going to light up many scoreboards, there are players here to marvel at. If the Pirates can keep their pitching going and just be league-average at hitting, we might see a surprise in the NL Central.
7. Kansas City Royals: Bobby Witt Jr. for MVP, am I right?! This guy is special and he’s showing why he deserved his massive contract extension. One of five teams with twelve wins, the Royals seem to be one of two favorites to win the lackluster AL Central. This team is the exact opposite of the Milwaukee Brewers and, therefore, requires the same amount of skepticism that I gave them. I prefer dominant pitching over dominant hitting, but who can complain with either one? I feel the same way about KC as I do about the Brew Crew.
8. Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers currently hold the best record in the NL Central and are top-5 in the majors, so why are they eighth on this list? They’re in the top half of the league in pitching metrics and 2nd in both AVG and OPS. What gives? Luck is a glorious thing. They are currently undefeated in one-run games and are 7th in the league in runs scored, but man this team has been playing well above expectations. Sure, we knew their hitting would be incredible, but their pitching being in the top half of the league is a crazy stat. Time will tell.
9. San Diego Padres: Did anyone else feel like San Diego was going to fall off this year after shelling out big money for certain, but not all, players? Yeah, me neither. This team is loaded and when they are on, they are on. The star power that is the San Diego Padres can’t be overlooked. 5th in AVG and 6th in OPS is a huge part of their success, but consistently average pitching always helps. While they may not have eye-popping pitching numbers, they’re getting the job done.
10. Chicago Cubs: We all knew the NL Central was going to be wide open this year, but seeing the Cubs as the 3rd ranked team on this list is not what many expected. Ranking 12th in AVG and 7th in OPS has certainly helped their cause. They are getting big-time production from Michael Busch and Seiya Suzuki. With the consistency of these two and the flashiness of players like Cody Bellinger, Dansby Swanson, and Christopher Morel, we could be looking at an improved Chicago team. While they rank low pitching-wise, they always say the best defense is just more offense. It seems to be working at the Friendly Confines.
11. Tampa Bay Rays: Tampa Bay always finds themselves in this spot. They are truly a team that is solid from top to bottom and will always give you the best they have on any given day. While they ranked out average in hitting, their pitching is among the worst in the league. The problem is that while they are surrendering a ton of runs, they are still finding ways to capitalize when they are hitting. This team may be the 2024 version of the Miami Marlins, but it’s too early to say.
12. Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies always pose a threat. They feature a potent lineup that ranks in the top 10 in home runs. There are superstars all over this roster and simply looking at it is enough to make you nervous. That being said, they haven’t been able to all be on fire at the same time. A struggling Nick Castellanos and streaky Bryce Harper have been buoyed by lights put pitching. It’s only a matter of time until this team clicks, but for now, they remain outside of the top 10 even sitting at eleven wins.
13. Boston Red Sox: I read a bold take the other day about Boston winning the AL pennant. I’m not ready to jump to that conclusion but the early returns for the Red Sox have been pretty great. Losing Lucas Giolito and Trevor Story isn’t easy, but other mainstays on this team have picked up the slack in a big way. They lead the way in ERA and are 3rd in WHIP which is impressive given the division they play in. Once guys like Ceddanne Rafaela, Triston Casas, and perennial superstar Rafael Devers find consistency, this team could pose some problems.
14. Arizona Diamondbacks: Has there been a more fun to watch than Arizona this year? Where did Lourdes Gurriel Jr. come from? Ketel Marte remains one of the most underrated hitters in the sport, but a struggling Corbin Carroll will hinder this team down the stretch. There isn’t a question about how good this pitching staff is, but the D-Backs have to find consistency in more of their players outside of their top-2 players if they want to recreate the magic that was last season.
15. Texas Rangers: Last year’s champions aren’t off to the start they envisioned when talking about defending their title, but baseball is a long season and there is plenty of time to make up ground. Stars Adolis Garcia, Corey Seager, and Marcus Semien are always going to pose trouble for opposing teams, but the real key to Texas turning this around is getting production elsewhere. Highly touted rookie Wyatt Langford has been serviceable, but Evan Carter is struggling. The Rangers will get Max Scherzer back soon and should help a pitching staff that ranks 11th and 12th in ERA and WHIP, respectively.
16. New York Mets: The highest payroll team in baseball started miserably. They dropped their first five games before surging back and winning nine of their last twelve. Sure, Francisco Lindor has been a major letdown so far, but others have been turning in the right direction and showing why they were touted as a team to push the Braves in the NL East. They don’t strike out much and rank 14th in both AVG and OPS. Pitching is roughly the same which serves as a good measuring stick for where they are ranked. Their stats show an average team and they are ranked right in the middle. If this team gets hot, look out.
17. Detroit Tigers: As I said for the Astros, I wanted to put the Tigers elsewhere, but for me, it was much lower. “But Anthony, a 10-win team should be higher than even this, why would you move them down?” I hear you, I do, but let’s not kid ourselves. This Tigers team isn’t great. 27th in AVG and 26th in OPS is a major issue. Not to mention they strike out as often as Minnesota does. Their pitching has been nothing short of amazing, but I’ll say it again, you need to score runs to win games. This team seems rather lucky and that’s a good thing to be, but it never lasts.
18. Cincinnati Reds: What a whirlwind of a season it’s been for the Reds. Truly, what a whirlwind it has been for the past couple of seasons. I don’t think there was a team more decimated by injuries (and suspensions) than Cincinnati, but they had a plethora of players waiting in the wings ready to take the reins. Frankie Montas has been the veteran presence this pitching staff needed and the young guys both in the rotation and lineup are finally starting to come around. The question for this team remains whether or not they can put it all together at the same time.
19. Toronto Blue Jays: A trendy AL pennant pick, the Blue Jays haven’t necessarily lived up to the lofty expectations that were set a couple of years ago when a myriad of rookies debuted. Sitting below .500 with just nine wins is a shame, but that’s what happens when you are 20th and 19th in AVG and OPS. The pitching has been even worse and although it is early in the season, Blue Jays fans might begin to panic especially when they are the last ranked team both here and in actuality.
20. Los Angeles Angels: Welcome back, Mike Trout! The resurgence of the future hall-of-famer has helped the Angels to a .500 record and a 2nd place spot in a tough AL West. Funny enough, they are dead in the middle at 15th in both AVG and OPS. Their pitching is average as well in both ERA and WHIP. I’m not saying this team is going to continue to perform this well for 162 games, but they sure do look good right now. Even without Shohei Ohtani, the Angels are getting it done.
21. St. Louis Cardinals: The new-look Cardinals just aren’t cutting it. An influx of youth is a part of the struggles of this team, but when you have sluggers like Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, you’d think a bit more production would be had. Sitting 24th in both AVG and OPS is not what many expected to see of the Cardinals, but that’s where life has led us. The pitching hasn’t been great either. Do the Cards finish last in the NL Central?
22. Houston Astros: To be completely honest, I wanted to put this team higher than this, but I wanted to respect the other teams with a MUCH better record than the Astros. Houston is 3rd in AVG and OPS, but 29th in ERA and 28th in WHIP. The Astros are giving up a ton of runs against (six games over 7 runs against), but they are also scoring a ton of runs for (six games over 7 runs for). When I say a team will turn things around I would expect it to be the Astros.
23. San Francisco Giants: The Giants were a bit surprising to me when I looked at where to rank them. They had a relatively great winter, and they signed big-name players like Blake Snell, Matt Chapman, Jorge Soler, and Jung Hoo Lee. Middle-of-the-pack pitching and batting have led them to the spot they are in now. The NL West is generally competitive but it seems to be a one-team show featuring the Dodgers. The rest of the division is 17th in record or lower across the league. This does mean that if the Giants catch fire they can wreak some havoc, but they have to do something to turn things around.
24. Seattle Mariners: A sweep of the Reds to get up to nine wins is not something to scoff at. I considered moving them up in the rankings after seeing that, but I still have a bit of concern. The Mariners are currently 26th in AVG and 25th in OPS while they rank 2nd in WHIP and 13th in ERA. The disparity of this team is real, and there hasn’t been any superstar emerging to put the team on his back. We expected Julio Rodriguez to do this, but he is slashing just above the Mendoza Line at .219/.269/.260. Mitch Haniger is a bright spot, but man these bats have to get going before teams figure out how to capitalize against these pitchers.
25. Washington Nationals: The Nationals won a World Series a few years back, and since then, it has been a steady decline. What the Nationals are putting out isn’t the worst thing in the world, but they aren’t exactly going to set the world on fire either. CJ Abrams and Jesse Winker are leading this lackluster Nationals team to relevance, but how long will it last? The pitching is in the bottom half of the league for both ERA and WHIP and outside of those two names I mentioned, the hitting isn’t much better either. So long as the players keep performing at high levels and the rest of the team adds in at least average returns on hitting, they might surprise a few folks.
26. Colorado Rockies: You’d think a four-win Rockies team would be bottom three like the other three and four-win teams, but I’m cautiously optimistic about the Rockies. I know, I know, that sounds crazy, but let me put it to you this way. The Rockies are top-10 in AVG and currently sit at 16th in OPS. They are the opposite of Oakland in the fact that they are hitting the ball and getting on base, but their pitching is slowing them down. Dead last in the league in both ERA and WHIP will certainly make it difficult to win games. However, the pitching could turn into a mid-range unit, and with the solid hitting, we may be looking at a surprise in Denver.
27. Minnesota Twins: My favorite to win the wide-open AL Central, the Twins are bad. Like bad, bad. They currently boast the worst AVG in the majors (.193) and a bottom-3 OPS (.611); not to mention they strike out an average of ten times per game. Their pitching has been middle of the road, but you have to score runs to win games and that’s not something the Twins are doing enough of. I want to say they’ll turn it around, but let’s not get carried away.
28. Oakland Athletics: This team is performing quite well for Oakland’s standards. This season, Eight wins is an accomplishment for a team that didn’t record its eighth win until May 6, 2023, last year. Oakland is top-10 in ERA for their pitchers which is quite the feat. We are seeing a late-career breakout with Paul Blackburn and Mason Miller is proving that he has star quality. Unfortunately, their hitting is still abysmal which lands them low on this list.
29. Miami Marlins: A lot of buzz surrounded this team during spring training. Miami held the best record in the majors last year in one-run games with a record of 33-14 (.702). Generally speaking, teams flow to the other side of this stat the next year and we are seeing just that. Combine a loss of luck with an excessive amount of injuries and you get the 2024 Miami Marlins. The good news for this team is they aren’t last on this list and they should return some starters here soon.
30. Chicago White Sox: What else is there to say about this team? The worst record in the majors (3-15) and no signs of moving up. This team is collectively slashing .196/.269/.302 which is about the production the Cardinals are getting from Paul Goldschmidt. At least they have the Campfire Milkshake working for them.
