I’ll have an Orioles column later this week. For now, here are my power rankings:
1. Los Angeles Dodgers (92-41, No. 1 last week): This month is a very different animal for the regular season’s best team. It’ll be all about health and sharpness. If you hadn’t noticed, skipper Dave Roberts has this down pretty well.
2. Houston Astros (86-48, No. 3): It’s been a long haul this summer in getting to the American League’s No. 1 record, but — isn’t there always a but? — Justin Verlander is on the injured list with a tricky calf injury. With Verlander at full strength, this is a very dangerous club in October. Without him, they are still very capable but not nearly as good.
3. New York Mets (85-50, No. 2): Now maybe people will understand why I was preaching that the Mets needed to do something big at the trade deadline. It’s the first week of September and 38-year-old Max Scherzer, an all-time gladiator, has to leave a start with left-side fatigue. It was fairly predictable that one of the Mets’ two big guns would have an injury issue late in the year. Their offense has been clutch all year, but they needed Scherzer and Jacob deGrom to stay healthy and now there is a question.
4. Atlanta Braves (84-51, No. 4): The Braves have once again moved within hailing distance of the division rival Mets. They have three more against them at Truist Park late in the month. The Braves have two at Oakland, three at Seattle and three at San Francisco in the coming days. Their mettle will be tested with the long trip at this time of year. I don’t doubt that this is a potentially tricky trip (see the Phillies in Arizona and San Francisco).
5. St. Louis Cardinals (79-55, No. 7): There’s no question that the Cardinals are the best team in the NL Central, which honestly isn’t saying a whole lot. But this crew is an impressive 25-7 since Aug. 1. First-year skipper Oliver Marmol has done himself proud.
6. New York Yankees (80-54, No. 5): The Yankees really, really needed that win on Sunday in St. Petersburg. It’s been a lot of bad news for the guys dressed in pinstripes, but one bit of good news is that it looks as if the real good Jonathan Loáisiga has made an appearance in the No. 43 uniform. The Yankees get the Twins in a four-game set in the Bronx this week … and facing Minnesota is usually a good thing for New York.
7. Seattle Mariners (76-58, No. 10): The Mariners will end up as the No. 1 AL wild card. They have three at home against the White Sox, three at home against the Braves and two in San Diego coming up. Then they finish with 20 games against the Angels, Athletics, Rangers, Royals and Tigers. They may end up with 92-94 wins. This is a dangerous team with Robbie Ray and Luis Castillo heading the rotation.
8. Tampa Bay Rays (74-58, No. 8): The Rays brought up one of their top prospects in infielder Jonathan Aranda and should have Wander Franco back in the next four or five days, but their last 30 games include six against the Astros, nine against the Blue Jays, six against the Red Sox and three against the Yankees.
9. Toronto Blue Jays (73-59, No. 11): I can’t explain it, but every time I watch the Jays, they look as though they are sleepwalking. George Springer’s inability to go to the post is a real problem. He plays with a fire his mates don’t have.
10. Philadelphia Phillies (73-61, No. 6): The Phillies picked a really inopportune time to have a 1-5 week in Arizona and San Francisco. The good news they have six at home this week against the lowly Marlins and lowlier Nationals.
11. Cleveland Guardians (68-64, No. 9)
12. Baltimore Orioles (71-62, No. 12)
13. San Diego Padres (74-61, No. 13)
14. Chicago White Sox (67-67, No. 16)
15. Milwaukee Brewers (70-63, No. 15)
16. Minnesota Twins (68-64, No. 14)
17. Boston Red Sox (67-68, No. 19)
18. Arizona Diamondbacks (64-69, No. 20)
19. San Francisco Giants (64-68, No. 18)
20. Texas Rangers (58-75, No. 17)
21. Chicago Cubs (56-78, No. 22)
22. Los Angeles Angels (58-76, No. 24)
23. Miami Marlins (55-78, No. 21)
24. Colorado Rockies (57-78, No. 23)
25. Cincinnati Reds (53-79, No. 25)
26. Kansas City Royals (55-85, No. 26)
27. Detroit Tigers (51-83, No. 27)
28. Pittsburgh Pirates (49-84, No. 28)
29. Oakland Athletics (50-85, No. 29)
30. Washington Nationals (47-87, No. 30)