MLB Power Rankings
We’re roughly 30 games into the 2023 Baseball season, and some teams have emerged as clear division leaders. However, the sample size is still too small. Take a look at where we have every MLB team ranked in our lasted power rankings for May 1st.
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30. Oakland Athletics: The A’s are on track to be one of the worst teams in MLB history. They already have been outscored by 112 runs and have given up 204 runs. It’s a horrific start to a miserable season that will test the patience of the most diehard Athletics fan.
29. Kansas City Royals: The Royals are off to a miserable start with only six wins so far. They’ve been outscored by 53 runs and have failed to do much of anything. At least they have Zack Greinke and Bobby Witt Jr to bring some excitement. Even then, it’s looking like a very long season.
28. Colorado Rockies: The Rockies are doing pretty bad. They’re already 10 games under .500 and have been badly outscored by 47 runs. They continue to flounder leads or be unable to score. Now, Kris Bryant is sore again and the team has little to no pitching yet again.
27. Chicago White Sox: The White Sox have encountered more injuries yet again. They also are not playing well and stand 11 games under .500. Their pitching is doing okay, but the bullpen and hitting have been awful. The White Sox have completely fallen apart despite a promising core of players.
26. Detroit Tigers: The Tigers are playing some abysmal baseball. They seem to be able to barely get out of their own way and have lucked into nine wins so far. The Tigers expected better success under AJ Hinch, but this team looks just as bad as it was four years ago.
25. Washington Nationals: The Nationals are playing some boring baseball. They can barely score runs despite having some vaunted speedsters on the roster. They have been better at pitching than expected with Josiah Gray and McKenzie Gore doing excellent. Beyond them though, this team is just in store for a really long year.
24. St. Louis Cardinals: It’s getting worrisome out in St. Louis that this team might not get it together after jumping out to a miserable start. They’re 3-7 in their last ten games and have been badly beaten. They only have nine wins and are in the basement of the NL Central. The Cardinals still have too many stars to struggle much longer, but it is getting a bit nerve-wracking.
23. Cincinnati Reds: The Reds are still doing badly, but there are some glimmers of hope. Their starting pitching has been pretty good and Hunter Greene got extended. Spencer Steer has been a revelation at the plate as a rookie and perhaps this year won’t be terrible for the Reds.
22. Miami Marlins: The Marlins are so hot-cold. They can’t figure out their hitting, still, but yet when they do hit, their pitching stinks. Now, Sandy Alcantara isn’t pitching like himself, and the Marlins are stuck watching Pablo Lopez do amazing for the Twins. At least they got what they wanted in Luis Arraez who has been lighting up the hit column. If only some other Marlins would string some hits together.
21. San Francisco Giants: The Giants are stuck in no-mans land. They are too good to tank, but too bad to actually compete for the playoffs. They have a below .500 record and seem never to be able to get over the hill. However, they just had a five-game winning streak, so maybe there’s a tiny bit of hope for them behind ace starter Logan Webb.
20. Seattle Mariners: The Mariners are struggling a lot. They are three games under .500 and now just lost Robbie Ray for the season. They’ve lost multiple games in a row and are 4-6 in their last ten. They aren’t hitting much and Ty France is slumping. Their pitching has been good, but when the offense is struggling, it’s hard to win. Even worse is the fact they’re 3-9 against teams over .500.
19. Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox are a respectable .500 right now and look like a future .500 team. However, that’s good enough for last place in the AL East. Masataka Yoshida is proving to be an unwise investment so far and the Red Sox starting pitching has not been good. At least Jarren Duran is finally hitting. The Red Sox have also had a tough schedule with 23 games against teams over .500.
18. Cleveland Guardians: Cleveland is showing their age right now with some youthful playing and a ton of young pitchers. They are only a game under .500, but the team isn’t hitting a ton and have encountered numerous pitching injuries. There’s plenty of time to right the ship, especially in the meager AL Central. Cleveland is in a fine spot even with their going 3-7 in their last ten games.
17. San Diego Padres: Yeah, the Padres should be a tad worried. Their pitching has been doing really well and just saw Joe Musgrove return. However, the Padres are under .500 and have been outscored by 20 runs. Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Juan Soto are massively struggling along with the rest of their lineup aside from Xander Bogaerts. The Padres are also under .500 against teams with a winning record.
16. Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies are getting really hot. They may be .500 but are 7-3 in their last ten. Bryce Harper is nearing a return, and the Phillies are rounding into form. Their hitting and pitching are both improving. Even the bullpen is doing well. The one worry is they are 1-5 against teams over .500.
15. Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers have to be concerned right now. They are not hitting at all. Their pitching has taken a big step back, especially with Julio Urias struggling massively. They are .500 thanks to some clutch at-bats and walk-off hits. However, they are 9-12 against teams under .500 and just lost a series to the Pirates.
14. Chicago Cubs: The Cubs are doing better than expected. However, they haven’t played many games against teams over .500. In those games, they are 6-7 which does spell trouble later. For now, enjoy the fact they’re four games over .500 and doing well.
13. Los Angeles Angels: The Angels are playing like a team under a crazy amount of pressure. They know they HAVE to win and get into the playoffs this year if they have any hope of keeping Shohei Ohtani. So far, so good. They are a game over .500 and 6-4 in their last 10. The Angels are doing good and are healthy. That’s the biggest thing right now. They must keep their stars healthy.
12. New York Mets: I’m sure Mets fans weren’t thinking 300+ million dollars in contracts would lead to a second-place record in the NL East. They’re on a four-game losing streak and badly miss Justin Verlander and Edwin Diaz. The offense is doing its job, but the pitching does not look good. Oh, and they are missing Max Scherzer due to a pitching substance suspension. Ouch.
11. Texas Rangers: While the Rangers are in first place in the AL West, for now, they’re struggling. They just got swept by the lowly Reds. Plus, the Rangers have seen their bullpen implode of late. While the offense is doing terrific and Adolis Garcia is on fire, the team doesn’t look like surefire playoff contenders yet.
10. New York Yankees: The Yankees are down in fourth place despite being three games over .500. That’s just how tough the AL East division is. They have a good +18 run differential and Gerrit Cole is pitching out of his mind. However, this Yankees lineup needs to get into shape. They are struggling and it’s not looking great right now.
9. Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays are in third place in the AL East, but would be in first place in three other divisions. They are getting back in form with Alek Manoah returning to CY Young form and the offense heating up. Turns out that upgrading the outfield defense has helped a ton.
8. Minnesota Twins: The Twins are in first place in the sad and pathetic AL Central. However, that still counts for something. Sonny Gray and Pablo Lopez have formed a dynamite top-two in the rotation. Buxton is healthy and performing. The Twins are firing on all cylinders right now despite a tough 4-6 stretch.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks: In case you missed it, the Snakes are in first place in the NL West. That’s something no one expected prior to the season. Zac Gallen is on a 28-inning scoreless streak and leads the MLB in strikeouts. Corbin Carroll is the clear NL frontrunner for Rookie of the Year, and Ketel Marte looks like the Marte of old. By the way, there’s a guy by the name of Josh Rojas who just so happens to be the best defender in the MLB in terms of Outs Above Average.
6. Baltimore Orioles: Baltimore is out to prove that money doesn’t matter and that they can win in the tough AL East. They have a great 16-8 record and are on an 8-2 run right now. The Orioles aren’t scared of any team and their patchwork rotation is doing great right now. Oh, and that Adley Rutchmans guy is pretty good at baseball.
5. Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers’ pitching continues to outperform along with their surprising hitting. They’ve suffered some injuries, but have continued to win at a good rate. They are 16-9 and would be in first place in three other divisions. Milwaukee is here to say that those pundits shouldn’t have written them off so early.
4. Atlanta Braves: The Braves are getting great performances from their starting pitching and bullpen, aside from AJ Minter. Their hitting has improved and Ronald Acuna stole three bases in a game. They have the best run differential in the National League at +40. This Atlanta team is ready to fight to keep their division crown for another year.
3. Houston Astros: The Astros are close to getting Jose Altuve back from injury and have been playing amazing. They are on a 7-3 run and getting phenomenal pitching. Houston’s dominating all aspects of the game right and look like they’re back on track after a tough start to the season.
2. Pittsburgh Pirates: Yes, the Pirates are absolutely up here. They have the best record in the National League. They are outperforming all expectations that anyone had. Pittsburgh is doing better than even they thought possible. This isn’t a mirage, the Pirates are 9-1 in their last ten and playing the best baseball they’ve played in a decade or more.
1. Tampa Bay Rays: All the Rays keep doing is winning. They are 20-5 with an absurd +87 run differential. They continue to survive big injuries and keep calling up impact pitchers and hitters. The team is playing on fire and Brandon Lowe is back with a vengeance. This team is scary.
Let me know your thoughts about these rankings and if your team is too low on Twitter! May the Force be with You and your team during this MLB season…
