We’re almost a month into the baseball season, so it’s time for another batch of MLB power rankings. Which teams have surged and dropped the most over the last two weeks?
Let’s dive in.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
Record: 15-8
Change: N/A
The Dodgers continue to cruise atop the National League, owning the best run differential in all of baseball (+30). They’ve entertained us with thrilling clashes against the Padres and continue to look like the best team in all of baseball.
2. Oakland Athletics
Record:
Change: +20
The Athletics started 0-6, then won four of five before the last power ranking was posted. Apparently, they deserved more credit for this span of impressive baseball as they went on to win 13 in a row, including 15 of 17.
3. San Diego Padres
Record: 13-11
Change: -1
The Padres are a really fun team to watch. They’ve won four of seven against the Dodgers and manage to stay above .500 in a very challenging division. A 13-11 record rarely occupies the No. 3 spot, but San Diego’s success against the Dodgers (including a miraculous extra-innings comeback win) warrants an excception.
4. San Francisco Giants
Record: 15-8
Change: +11
At 15-8, the Giants are tied for the best record in all of baseball. Their rotation has been brilliant as it leads all of baseball in ERA (2.81), WHIP (1.06), opponent batting average (.206), and saves (11). The offense will need to improve some, but San Francisco is off to a really strong start.
5. Houston Astros
Record:
Change: -1
The Astros are off to an impressive start offensively, and they haven’t even had Alex Bregman or Jose Altuve for the full season. Houston’s pitching isn’t the greatest, but their offense has the second-most doubles (43), second-most hits (198), third-most RBI (106), and fourth-highest slugging percentage (.423) in all of baseball. Their 163 strikeouts are the fewest among the 28 qualified teams (minimum 20 games).
6. Boston Red Sox
Record: 14-9
Change: +2
The Red Sox have quieted down ever so slightly since the last edition, but their lineup is still the best in baseball. They lead the league in hits, doubles, batting average, and slugging percentage. Meanwhile, they rank second in runs and third in on-base percentage.
7. Chicago White Sox
Record: 12-9
Change: +5
The White Sox are currently riding a four-game winning streak, which is the second-longest in baseball. Their +21 run differential ranks third among all clubs. They have kept strikeouts to a minimum (third-fewest among teams with at least 20 games) and notched 78 walks en route to holding the second-best on-base percentage (.342).
8. Milwaukee Brewers
Record: 13-9
Change: +2
The Brewers’ offense hasn’t been terrific, but their pitching remains scary with Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta at the top of the rotation. The pitching staff as a whole ranks sixth-best in ERA, fourth in strikeouts, fourth in opponent batting average, and seventh in WHIP. Burnes ranks sixth in ERA while Woodruff is seventh, making Milwaukee the only team with two arms in the top-14.
9. Kansas City Royals
Record: 14-7
Change: +10
The Royals own the best winning percentage and are tied for the best record. Their five-game winning streak is the longest active in baseball. Kansas City has looked really strong on the road (6-2) which could be a major contributor to their success down the stretch.
10. Seattle Mariners
Record: 13-10
Change: +13
The Mariners are gaining much-deserved respect in the baseball world. They split series against the Dodgers and Red Sox and went on a 10-4 run over the last couple of weeks. Pivotal upcoming sets against the Astros and Angels will truly test Seattle’s legitimacy.
11. Los Angeles Angels
Record: 11-10
Change: -2
The Angels are in a fascinating place as they employ two of the most exciting players in baseball, yet still sit right above .500 with a -11 run differential. Their pitchers’ combined 5.16 ERA is the league’s worst. They also have the third-worst WHIP and sixth-worst opponent batting average. Despite a busy offseason of moves to shore up the rotation and bullpen, the Halos clearly still have more roster construction to accomplish.
12. Atlanta Braves
Record: 10-12
Change: -5
It’s too early to drop Atlanta to the bottom half of the rankings, but their start to the season has certainly been alarming nonetheless. The Braves’ top-end pitching has been a major disappointment, and the offense’s one-hit and no-hit performances against the Diamondbacks were a massive cause for concern.
13. Arizona Diamondbacks
Record: 11-11
Change: +7
Speaking of the Diamondbacks, Zac Gallen and Madison Bumgarner‘s brilliance against Atlanta catapults Arizona to No. 13. Meanwhile, the offense’s 113 runs this season rank as the third-most in the entire league. In a tough division, it’s hard to expect much from the Diamondbacks. With that said, they’re off to a solid start.
14. New York Mets
Record: 9-8
Change: +4
Jacob deGrom is the only legitimate candidate for NL Cy Young as he leads baseball in ERA, complete games, and shutouts. He also ranks second in strikeouts, WHIP, and opponent batting average. The offense has been a major letdown, but with deGrom in the rotation (as well as a strong group of arms behind him), it’s only fair to put them in the top half of this list.
15. Cincinnati Reds
Record: 10-12
Change: -10
The Reds, who opened the season 6-1, have struggled over the past two weeks and would be lower on this list if not for leading the league in runs and having the best run differential among teams below .500. The Reds lost seven in a row and 11 of 14 between April 10-25.
16. Toronto Blue Jays
Record: 10-11
Change: N/A
The Blue Jays are in a similar but less extreme situation as the Reds. They’ve had a solid offensive output and own a +11 run differential, but they have been unable to get over that hump. It’s not like their pitching has been awful, either. Toronto owns the fourth-best ERA and ninth-best opponent batting average in the league. They also have the seventh-most saves and third-fewest walks allowed.
17. Tampa Bay Rays
Record: 11-12
Change: -4
The Rays have lost two in a row to fall below .500, and they also own a negative run differential. Their lineup has drawn the eight-most walks, but they also rank third in total strikeouts. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s pitching staff has been just mediocre, not excelling or wavering in any major category.
18. Philadelphia Phillies
Record: 11-11
Change: -12
The Phillies have faltered all of a sudden and now own the fourth-worst run differential in all of baseball (and the worst among teams with a top-24 record. The pitching staff has allowed the sixth-highest opponent batting average, third-most home runs, in ninth-worst ERA. The offense, meanwhile, has scored the seventh-fewest runs while racking up 213 strikeouts (most among teams with a .243 or higher batting average).
19. New York Yankees
Record: 9-13
Change: -5
The Yankees lost six of seven just two weeks ago but have bounced back to win four of five last week. They’re on a two-game losing streak, but it looks like matters might start to improve soon. Don’t be surprised to see the Yankees rise in the next edition.
20. Cleveland Indians
Record: 10-11
Change: -9
Offensively, the Indians are struggling, and their pitching rotation has looked just okay. Shane Bieber has been brilliant as Cleveland’s ace, but Zach Plesac, Triston McKenzie, and Logan Allen have struggled in the middle portion of the rotation.
21. St. Louis Cardinals
Record: 11-11
Change: -14
The Cardinals have been playing .500 baseball, but their record likely doesn’t accurately reflect their performance on the field. The pitchers have not allowed more than five runs in a game since April 16, and the offense has been solid but not exceptional. They’ll take on the Phillies and Pirates before a series against the Mets’ stingy rotation.
22. Minnesota Twins
Record: 7-14
Change: -19
The Twins have the second-worst record in baseball. While they’re not as bad as their record indicates, they’ve still fallen quite short of expectations thus far. They need to turn things around fast, especially in a division with the thriving Royals, talented White Sox, and Shane Bieber-led Indians.
23. Chicago Cubs
Record: 10-12
Change: +2
The Cubs have improved since the last ranking, boosting their offensive output to a point where their run differential is just -3. Still, their pitching staff has been responsible for the league’s most hit batsmen, most walks, second-highest WHIP, and fifth-highest ERA.
24. Miami Marlins
Record: 10-12
Change: +5
The Marlins have improved since the last ranking, but they’re still not at the point where many expected them to be at after making the postseason last year. On a more positive note, the pitching staff has looked solid with Taylor Rogers and his 1.29 ERA (third-best in MLB) headlining the unit.
25. Baltimore Orioles
Record: 10-12
Change: +1
John Means‘s 1.50 ERA is the fourth-best in baseball and second-best in the American League. Meanwhile, Cedrick Mullins has the most hits in baseball, all while owning the third-most doubles and sixth-best batting average. Still, outside of these two budding stars, not much has gone right. The Orioles are competing, but they sit below .500 and likely won’t find too much success in a fairly strong division.
26. Pittsburgh Pirates
Record: 11-11
Change: +2
The Pirates have returned to .500 thanks to dominant work from its bullpen and not-too-flashy but still solid efforts from the offense. However, considering Pittsburgh’s poor rotation (outside of J.T. Brubaker), it’s hard to imagine that this balance can be sustained as the season carries on.
27. Washington Nationals
Record: 8-11
Change: -3
The Nationals are 8-11 with a -24 run differential, which ranks as the second-worst in baseball and the worst in the National League. The offense has been pitiful, Patrick Corbin is looking nothing like a $140 million pitcher, and Stephen Strasburg is expected to remain on the injured list beyond the 10-day window. Washington could be destined for another down season, just two years removed from a World Series title in 2019.
28. Colorado Rockies
Record: 8-14
Change: -1
The Rockies have the worst record in the National League, though they are also just one of two sub-.500 NL teams with at least 100 runs this year. Jon Gray is having his best year ever, but he could be dealt away in the coming months. General manager Jeff Bridich stepped down, too, in another indication that Colorado is destined for a very challenging campaign.
29. Texas Rangers
Record: 9-14
Change: +1
The Rangers have the second-worst run differential in the American League, and nothing seems to be clicking for the club. Perhaps most bizarre of all, Joey Gallo leads the league in strikeouts and has the second-most walks while hitting just one home run.
30. Detroit Tigers
Record: 7-16
Change: -9
The Tigers are the worst team in baseball and rank last in too many categories. They’ve allowed the fourth-most runs in the American League and scored the fewest, falling to a miserable 7-16 record. Nobody expected a big year out of Detroit, but there was plenty of expectation for them to at least look decent, especially with manager A.J. Hinch taking over the team.
Biggest risers: Athletics (+20), Mariners (+13), Giants (+11)
Biggest fallers: Twins (-19), Cardinals (-14), Phillies (-12)
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