Here are my MLB power rankings. To read my take on all the division races thus far, click here.

1. Boston Red Sox (25-17, No. 1 last week): Even as the Yankees come back to life, it’s not going to magically make the Red Sox disappear. They are in it to win it — Alex Cora won’t stand for anything less.

2. Oakland Athletics (25-17, No. 2): Going into his May 13 start at Fenway Park, lefty Sean Manaea had a 2.23 ERA in his last six starts … but he had a 1-2 record with a 13.14 ERA during his career at Fenway. He allowed 10 hits and seven earned runs in just two innings May 13, raising his career ERA at Fenway Park to 15.70. In just 14.1 innings at Fenway, Manaea has allowed 25 earned runs, 39 hits, six homers and two walks. His WHIP is 2.86.

3. San Diego Padres (24-17, No. 6): Mark Melancon leads the big leagues in saves with 14. He was signed for $2 million for 2021 with a mutual $5 million option for 2022 with a $1 million buyout. You’re telling me the team just north of San Diego couldn’t have used Melancon? Oh, they had to save their bucks for Albert Pujols, who is costing them ZERO.

4. Los Angeles Dodgers (22-18, No. 4): How do we get out of a three-week funk? Simple, sign a once-great player who offers virtually nothing to this dynamic. Pujols does nothing to help this team.

5. Chicago White Sox (24-15, No. 5): If the Lucas Giolito from 2019 and 2020 ever comes back, this division will be a complete blow away, even with Luis Robert and Elroy Jimenez both absent for big chunks of the season.

6. Houston Astros (24-17, No. 11): In place of banging on trash cans, we are seeing some regular-season Dusty Baker magic. Can it last in the fall?

7. New York Yankees (22-18, No. 8): Since their 5-10 start, the Yankees have picked up the pace going a more Yankee-like 17-8. Gerrit Cole, Corey Kluber and Domingo German have all been pretty good out of the rotation.

8. San Francisco Giants (24-16, No. 9): As a team, Giants are batting .225 with a .713 OPS. I know that the 34-year-old Buster Posey can’t do some of the magic things he could in his prime, but he is batting .382/.466/.685 with eight homers. There is still a spark left in the old plug behind the plate.

9. Toronto Blue Jays (22-17, No. 15): The Jays won five of six against the two of the teams in NL East that were supposed to be tough guys — the Braves and Phillies. This is a very dangerous team.

10. St. Louis Cardinals (23-18, No. 3): Not quite sure where he’ll fit in with five viable starters doing the job, but Miles Mikolas has made three rehab starts at Triple — and he most likely gets a start against the Cubs next weekend.

11. Tampa Bay Rays (23-19, No. 10)
12. Philadelphia Phillies (21-20, No. 14)
13. New York Mets (18-16, No. 12)
14. Milwaukee Brewers (21-20, No. 7)
15. Cleveland Indians (21-17, No. 13)
16. Atlanta Braves (19-21, No. 16)
17. Seattle Mariners (21-20, No. 17)
18. Cincinnati Reds (19-19, No. 22)
19. Chicago Cubs (19-20, No. 20)
20. Miami Marlins (18-22, No. 23)
21. Kansas City Royals (18-22, No. 18)
22. Washington Nationals (16-20, No. 21)
23. Los Angeles Angels (17-22, No. 24)
24. Arizona Diamondbacks (18-23, No. 28)
25. Baltimore Orioles (17-23, No. 25)
26. Texas Rangers (18-24, No. 19)
27. Minnesota Twins (13-25, No. 26)
28. Pittsburgh Pirates (17-23, No. 27)
29. Detroit Tigers (14-26, No. 30)
30. Colorado Rockies (15-26, No. 29)

Stan Charles

See all posts by Stan Charles. Follow Stan Charles on Twitter at @stanthefan