Here are my MLB power rankings at the All-Star break. For my thoughts on the Orioles, click here.
1. Atlanta Braves (60-29, No. 1 last week): The Braves look like the most complete team in baseball right now. Trades and injuries all over the map can change that in an instant.
2. Baltimore Orioles (54-35, No. 5): A six-losses-in-seven-games stretch shook the fan base up. Calmly, GM Mike Elias just reached out and added the new dynamics that Jordan Westburg and Colton Cowser bring to the squad.
3. Tampa Bay Rays (58-35, No. 2): The Rays played the first 75 games of the season at a championship level. Gradually, the loss of three starting pitchers has knocked them back. Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen are out for the year. Shane McClanahan will be back just after the break from a bout of back tightness.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (51-38, No. 7): The Dodgers really need Julio Urías to regain the luster and Clayton Kershaw to come back healthy. I have to believe they’ll trade for high-end arm ahead of the deadline.
5. Texas Rangers (52-39, No. 3): The Rangers played at the top of the heap into June, but they’re just 8-12 in the past three weeks. The starting pitching has slipped a notch or two. GM Chris Young was smartly proactive in adding lefty reliever Aroldis Chapman, only to see high-leverage righty Josh Sborz blow a tire.
6. Arizona Diamondbacks (52-39, No. 4): The Diamondbacks had been red-hot and burst in front of the Dodgers with a little room to breathe. They’re 12-14 in their last 26 games, and the Dodgers have heated up to pull into a statistical tie. Aside from Zac Gallen, Arizona’s starting pitching hasn’t been at a level of a team angling to win a division.
7. Miami Marlins (53-39, No. 6): It’ll be fascinating to see how GM Kim Ng handles her first trade deadline as a buyer. This is a dangerous team, not to be taken lightly.
8. Cincinnati Reds (50-41, No. 9): After nine weeks, a hapless Reds team was No. 26 with a 23-31 record. Since then, they have gone 27-10. Don’t sleep on how good this team could be. Like I just said about the Marlins, the Reds adding on at the deadline will mark a change.
9. Toronto Blue Jays (50-41, No. 11): It’s ironic that the D-Backs come to town to start second half considering that the Daulton Varsho deal isn’t working out in favor of the Jays. The return of Alek Manoah couldn’t have gone better. He changes the forecast.
10. New York Yankees (49-42, No. 10): The Yankees should get a big lift from Carlos Rodón’s return, but if Aaron Judge can’t come back by early August, the lineup is just too pedestrian with lots of at-bats going to Jake Bauers, Josh Donaldson, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Giancarlo Stanton.
11. Houston Astros (50-41, No. 12)
12. Philadelphia Phillies (48-41, No. 13)
13. San Francisco Giants (49-41, No. 8)
14. Milwaukee Brewers (49-42, No. 14)
15. Cleveland Guardians (45-45, No. 17)
16. Boston Red Sox (48-43, No. 18)
17. Minnesota Twins (45-46, No. 15)
18. Seattle Mariners (45-44, No. 19)
19. San Diego Padres (43-47, No. 22)
20. New York Mets (42-48, No. 21)
21. Los Angeles Angels (45-46, No. 16)
22. Chicago Cubs (42-47, No. 24)
23. Detroit Tigers (39-50, No. 23)
24. Pittsburgh Pirates (41-49, No. 20)
25. St. Louis Cardinals (38-52, No. 25)
26. Chicago White Sox (38-54, No. 26)
27. Colorado Rockies (34-57, No. 28)
28. Washington Nationals (36-54, No. 27)
29. Oakland Athletics (25-67, No. 30)
30. Kansas City Royals (26-65, No. 29)