Here are my MLB power rankings. To read my latest on the Orioles, click here.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (84-36, No. 1 last week): And just like that, the Dodgers get Dustin May back? The depth of this team is insane. I know that three or four teams could beat them in a playoff series, but I wouldn’t bet against the Dodgers going all the way.
2. New York Mets (79-44, No. 2): The Mets lost three of four in Atlanta, then went to the City of Brotherly Love and took three of four there. Buck Showalter is playing the role of the maestro with his lineups, and as long as Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom stay healthy, his team will be very difficult to knock out.
3. Houston Astros (78-45, No. 3): With the serious problems the Yankees have had, right now the Astros look like almost an overwhelming favorite to represent the American League in the World Series.
4. Atlanta Braves (75-48, No. 5): The Braves did what they had to do this past week in beating the Mets three out of four times and then taking two of three against the Astros.
5. New York Yankees (74-48, No. 4): There is an old line in the classic movie “Animal House” about what you need when the walls begin to close in on you. Road trip! That happens soon with a four-game series in Oakland and then a three-game set in Anaheim, offering a great chance to get on a roll again. But first there is a mini-Subway Series … and the Mets come to Yankee Stadium with Scherzer and possibly deGrom.
6. St. Louis Cardinals (69-51, No. 7): Red-hot retiring slugger Albert Pujols is leading the charge for the Cardinals — sort of. All I know is the Red Birds have gone 18-5 in their last 23 games to poke themselves into the discussion.
7. Seattle Mariners (66-56, No. 8): Not that it’s all about job security, but it looks from my point of view that club president Jerry Dipoto has done a job worthy of keeping his gig, and if that is the case, it’s likely skipper Scott Servais stays at the helm.
8. Philadelphia Phillies (66-55, No. 6): Gut-punch loss to the Mets on Aug. 21 as new and former Phillies closer David Robertson gave up a go-ahead homer to Mark Canha after Jean Segura had given Phillies the lead. The Phillies do have the right teams on the schedule in order to get back up on the horse and regain the charge they were on — the Reds come in for four games, and then the woeful Pirates for three. Bryce Harper isn’t that far away from coming back to be the everyday DH.
9. Cleveland Guardians (64-56, No. 12): You’ll notice I have the Guardians in front of the Jays, Padres and Rays — three teams with records a bit better than the Jays. The way Shane Bieber and rising superstar Triston McKenzie are pitching, this isn’t an easy team to just walk in and beat.
10. Toronto Blue Jays (65-55, No. 10): While I still have the Jays in the top 10, you have to wonder if the front office constructed a team with too many right-handed batters (Bo Bichette, Matt Chapman, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Teoscar Hernandez, Alejandro Kirk and George Springer). That’s tough when about 75 percent of the starters you face throughout a season are right-handed. The Jays need more balance along with the right manager. Hard to believe they’d invest this much money in the major league roster, and then when Buck Showalter and Dusty Baker were available, they chose Charlie Montoyo.
11. San Diego Padres (68-56, No. 9)
12. Tampa Bay Rays (65-55, No. 13)
13. Minnesota Twins (62-57, No. 14)
14. Baltimore Orioles (63-58, No. 15)
15. Milwaukee Brewers (64-56, No. 11)
16. Chicago White Sox (62-59, No. 16)
17. San Francisco Giants (60-61, No. 17)
18. Boston Red Sox (60-62, No. 19)
19. Arizona Diamondbacks (55-66, No. 18)
20. Texas Rangers (55-66, No. 23)
21. Miami Marlins (52-69, No. 22)
22. Colorado Rockies (53-70, No. 20)
23. Los Angeles Angels (52-69, No. 21)
24. Chicago Cubs (52-68, No. 25)
25. Kansas City Royals (49-74, No. 24)
26. Cincinnati Reds (48-71, No. 26)
27. Pittsburgh Pirates (47-74, No. 27)
28. Detroit Tigers (47-76, No. 28)
29. Oakland Athletics (45-77, No. 29)
30. Washington Nationals (41-82, No. 30)