Here’s a look at this week’s MLB power rankings:
1. Tampa Bay Rays (31-11, No. 1 last week): The Rays’ season-long record is still incredible, but they just completed their first sub-.500 week of the season. They lost two of three to the Orioles and then split four games at Yankee Stadium. The daily lineup had been fairly injury-free until Yandy Díaz had to leave the Rays’ May 14 game with a left groin strain.
2. Toronto Blue Jays (24-16, No. 3): The Jays move up based on three-game sweep at home against the Braves. They get the Yankees for four and Orioles for three this week. All five teams in AL East are better than .500.
3. Baltimore Orioles (26-14, No. 4): Roster shuffling figures to continue as the Orioles have lots of options in minors to take the place of anyone not performing at a high level. Kyle Stowers probably will have to go back down to the minors to work on having a plan at the plate that doesn’t involve selling out on every swing.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (26-15, No. 5): I can’t quite get a feel exactly how the Dodgers are doing it, but I am not too proud to admit one of a handful of preseason miscalculations. I have to give skipper Dave Roberts credit for the winning culture that seems to take over every season.
5. Atlanta Braves (25-15, No. 2): If a drop from second to fifth seems harsh, it’s just a sign of how stiff the competition is in 2023. The injuries to starting pitchers Max Fried (forearm strain) and Kyle Wright (shoulder) don’t help along with that four-game losing streak.
6. New York Yankees (23-19, No. 8): The Yankees put together a 5-2 week with a home split against Tampa Bay. That moves them up a couple spots, but the starting pitching this side of Gerrit Cole and a little bit of Domingo Germán has been awful. The ERAs of Nestor Cortes (5.53), Jhony Brito (5.81) and Clarke Schmidt (6.30) are not sustainable for a contending or championship-worthy team. The bullpen has had a bunch of guys step up to save the day.
7. Texas Rangers (25-15, No. 10): Not fully surprised by their winning mark. There are certain managers who are difference-makers, and Bruce Bochy is clearly one of those guys. They move from fun story to dangerous if — and that’s a big word — two things can happen: Corey Seager (left hamstring strain) comes back and makes an already deep offense even more potent and Jacob deGrom (forearm tightness) can string together about 10 starts when he gets back. The first is probable. The second is really a coin toss.
8. Minnesota Twins (23-18, No. 7): Quietly, the Twins are getting some wonderful starting pitching out of Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, Pablo López, Louie Varland and the big guy Bailey Ober — all this while down Kenta Maeda and Tyler Mahle for a fair chunk of the season. Carlos Correa could just be about to warm up as the weather warms up.
9. Milwaukee Brewers (23-17, No. 9): The Brewers might not do it with as much panache as the Rays do it, and they don’t develop as much of their own homegrown talent as the Rays, but they be a Midwestern version of the Rays. And every time I underestimate the Brewers, they jump up and bite me.
10. Houston Astros (21-19, No. 11): The Astros are literally clinging to their top-10 spot. The best news they got all week was that José Altuve (broken thumb) started his rehab. Owner Jim Crane’s erratic offseason included running off general manager James Click, paying way too much for Rafael Montero and acquiring an aging José Abreu. It all smacked of owner ego. This club isn’t close to the way it was clicking when the trash cans were being pounded.
11. New York Mets (20-21, No. 14)
12. Boston Red Sox (22-19, No. 13)
13. San Diego Padres (19-22, No. 6)
14. Los Angeles Angels (21-20, No. 15)
15. Pittsburgh Pirates (22-19, No. 12)
16. Philadelphia Phillies (20-20, No. 19)
17. Seattle Mariners (20-20, No. 17)
18. Arizona Diamondbacks (23-18, No. 16)
19. Cleveland Guardians (19-21, No. 20)
20. Chicago Cubs (19-21, No. 18)
21. Miami Marlins (20-21, No. 22)
22. Detroit Tigers (18-21, No. 23)
23. Cincinnati Reds (18-22, No. 27)
24. San Francisco Giants (17-23, No. 21)
25. Washington Nationals (17-23, No. 25)
26. St. Louis Cardinals (16-25, No. 28)
27. Chicago White Sox (14-28, No. 24)
28. Colorado Rockies (17-24, No. 26)
29. Kansas City Royals (12-30, No. 29)
30. Oakland Athletics (9-33, No. 30)