MLB Power Rankings
We are inching closer and closer to the trade deadline and the All-Star break. A much-needed rest for many of these teams with some injury woes. It will be interesting to see which teams will spend to make their push to the fall classic and which teams will stand pat. We all know the big payroll teams will shell out to make their rosters complete. Still, the competing lower payroll teams (Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians, etc.) could be surprise spenders to help round out their shockingly good squads. However, this is all a few weeks away, and much will change from now to then. Let’s see where our beloved teams stack up as we end the first week of July.
Biggest Riser: Padres/Astros/Rays/Giants (+4), Biggest Faller: Mariners (-6)
1. Philadelphia Phillies (2)
Even with Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber out, this team keeps pushing. They hold the best record in the MLB by 2 games.
2. Baltimore Orioles (3)
The Orioles rank 27th in ERA, which is unusual for this season. The hitting remains consistent (5th in OPS, 7th in AVG), and they’ve won 6 of their last 10 games. They hold a 2 game lead in the AL East.
3. Cleveland Guardians (4)
Cleveland still has the best record in the American League. They rank 23rd in WHIP and 22nd in ERA but have managed to go .500 over their last 10 games.
4. Milwaukee Brewers (7)
There’s still a lot of season left, but the Brewers don’t seem to be slowing down. They rank 4th in AVG, thanks largely to a breakout season from Brice Turang. Milwaukee also traded for Aaron Civale to bolster their rotation. The NL Central is theirs to lose.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (5)
The Dodgers aren’t in bad shape. The Phillies are just playing better, which lands them here. Across the last 14 days, the Dodgers sport a 1.32 WHIP (20th) and a 4.62 ERA (21st). Clayton Kershaw should return soon and improve those numbers.
6. New York Yankees (1) 📉
The Yankees are 2-8 over their last 10 games and were just swept by the Cincinnati Reds. Is there cause for concern? No. They will right the ship.
7. Minnesota Twins (10)
Royce Lewis can’t seem to stay healthy, but that isn’t stopping this team. Over the last two weeks, they have slashed .296/.362/.493 as a team and have a league-leading OPS of .855.
8. Boston Red Sox (9)
A team that continues to defy expectations, Boston has secured 7 of their last 10 games even with their stats regressing to league average. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.
9. San Diego Padres (13) 🚀
A tale of 2 staffs. The Padres are knocking the cover off the ball ranking 3rd in AVG and 4th in OPS, but are in the bottom half of the league in pitching. It seems to be working as they have the best record in the National League over the last 10 contents.
10. Atlanta Braves (12)
This team fights, I’ll give them that. They rank 23rd and 26th in AVG and OPS, respectively, but have a league-leading ERA (3.00) and a 6th-ranked WHIP (1.12). They currently hold a 1.5-game lead for the 4-seed in the playoffs.
11. Kansas City Royals (8)
The Royals have sputtered of late dropping 5 of their last 10 games. They rank 22nd in AVG (.227) and 24th in OPS (.667). Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino are the only players batting over .245 in the last 2 weeks. Woof.
12. Seattle Mariners (6) 📉
It’s an unfortunate fall from grace; this team just can’t catch a break. Bryan Woo has landed on the IL again, and there are a myriad of other misfortunes. Shockingly, the Mariners rank 3rd in ERA (3.57) and have a league-leading WHIP (1.08) over the last 2 weeks. Woo will only make this better.
13. Houston Astros (17) 🚀
This team has come alive and they are looking to keep it going heading into the All-Star break. The issues surrounding their pitching is overshadowed by a menacing offense. Just imagine this team when Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, and Yordan Alvarez reach full health.
14. St. Louis Cardinals (11)
A -39 run differential is no match for the red-hot Cardinals. This team is 6-4 over their last 10 games and has flipped the script on their early season struggles. A .265 AVG (8th) over the last 2 weeks helps the cause.
15. Tampa Bay Rays (19) 📈
You thought a -39 run differential was bad? The Rays sit at -67. They’re also in the bottom half of the league in their metrics which shouldn’t lead to success. I can’t say I understand how it works, but it does.
16. New York Mets (14)
If you want to talk about flipping the script, the Mets are the poster child of that. Well, that is until Grimace made his appearance at Citi Field. Their pitching isn’t lights out, but a .802 OPS (2nd) will certainly lead to a lot of runs scoring.
17. Washington Nationals (15)
Much like I was with the Guardians at the beginning of the season, I am waiting for the other shoe to drop on this team. It’s just not happening, and I can’t explain it. The rag-tag group of guys the Nats have put together are gelling.
18. Arizona Diamondbacks (16)
The hot-hitting D-Backs just keep on moving. They have an .801 OPS (3rd) and a .270 AVG (5th) over the last 2 weeks. They’re also back at an even run differential. Hopefully, their 29th-ranked ERA (4.66) and 27th-ranked WHIP (1.36) can flip to the top of the rankings.
19. San Francisco Giants (24) 📈
The Giants are truly an enigma. They are one of the biggest hot and cold teams of the year. I’d love to say that they will get better when their stars return, but who knows?
20. Cincinnati Reds (18)
What a roller coaster of emotions this Reds team is. They sweep the Yankees in the Bronx and then get swept in Cincinnati by Detroit. They’re sporting a .219 AVG (28th) and a .665 OPS (25th). That won’t win you many games.
21. Chicago Cubs (21)
The complete opposite of the Mets, this team started hot and has cooled off drastically in the last month. They are just another version of the Reds with terrible hitting and decent pitching.
22. Pittsburgh Pirates (20)
Consistency is the name of the game for the Pirates. They just can’t seem to find it and it is costing them. Their metrics aren’t bad as they rank near the middle of the league in just about everything, but it doesn’t all happen together often.
23. Texas Rangers (22)
Max Scherzer is still finding his footing and hasn’t made the huge impact that Texas was expecting. They still sport a 4.00 ERA (16th) over the last 2 weeks. Tyler Mahle is making rehab starts so maybe that will help a bit more.
24. Toronto Blue Jays (25)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has come to life, slashing .370/.393/.815 over the last 2 weeks. George Springer and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are chipping in as well, but that’s all. Not a good look.
25. Detroit Tigers (23)
What happens when your team is led by one ace pitcher and one star hitter? You lose a ton of games. 4-6 over their last 10 games with not much confidence in a better stretch.
26: Los Angeles Angels (26)
The Angels were swept by the Athletics and then took 1 of 2 against the Cubs. That’s not exactly a winning formula. All of their metrics are in the bottom 1/3rd of the league and I don’t see it getting much better.
27. Oakland Athletics (27)
The clock has struck midnight in Oakland. Maybe Sacramento will be better for this team.
28. Miami Marlins (29)
At this point, I’m not sure the Marlins are doing anything to set themselves up for any type of success soon.
29. Colorado Rockies (28)
Same as above, just the West Coast. Outside of Ezequiel Tovar with his contract extension.
30. Chicago White Sox (30)
Will Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. be on the White Sox roster come July 31st? Time will tell.
