Here are my MLB power rankings. To read my take on the situation Buck Showalter finds himself in, click here.
1. Atlanta Braves (70-39, No. 1 last week): The Braves are just 9-9 in the last three weeks. I’ll keep them in first — it must be how much I like the reacquisition of Charlie Culberson.
2. Baltimore Orioles (70-42, No. 2): The first measuring stick for the 2023 Orioles was a trip to Atlanta for a three-game weekend series in early May. I am beginning to dream of a best-of-seven grudge match in late October. Not so sure the Orioles, who lost two of three down there, wouldn’t return the favor and then some.
3. Texas Rangers (66-46, No. 6): GM Chris Young went all out at the deadline to re-fortify his rotation with Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery. I am still stunned that the Rangers couldn’t tell that Nathan Eovaldi was nearing zero in the tank when they let him pitch in the All-Star Game and even allowed FOX to mic him up. He’s on the IL now. It’s 50-50 whether he has thrown his last pitch of ’23.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (64-46, No. 3): Freddie Freeman is on an MVP mission, batting .339/.416/.595 with 23 home runs, 80 RBIs and oh, he’s also stolen 16 bags. Lance Lynn was a huge get. They’ll know better when to take him out of games.
5. Houston Astros (64-49, No. 5): The battle for Texas between the Rangers and Astros may be epic, but the two only match up three more times this season. While it’s not a cakewalk, the Astros should be able to at the very least take the No. 1 wild card in the AL.
6. Tampa Bay Rays (68-46, No. 4): With Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs done for ’23, it was imperative for the Rays to add a starter ahead of the deadline. Aaron Civale fit the bill, but Shane McClanahan is back on injured list, this time with forearm pain, and Tyler Glasnow was scratched from his Aug. 6 start with back stiffness. Oy vey.
7. Philadelphia Phillies (61-51, No. 9): They get seven games at home this week against the Nationals (four) and Twins (three). They need to rip off a 5-2 week. Let’s not forget they are the defending NL champs. Until you stick a stake in their hearts, they have a squad that can play with anyone.
8. Toronto Blue Jays (63-50, No. 7): I’m beginning to see signs there is more than a little Jekyll and Hyde to this year’s iteration of the Jays. It looked like they were disinterested in four games against the Orioles at home, only to go to Fenway and sweep aside the Red Sox.
9. San Francisco Giants (61-51, No. 11): With the Dodgers appearing to be the better team, the Giants look like they’ll be in an eight-team battle for one of the three wild-card slots. They did pick up AJ Pollock, though.
10. Seattle Mariners (60-52, No. 16): We’ve been waiting all year for the Mariners’ run. Well, they are in the midst of it with a 10-3 record in their last 13. They’ll need to play at this pace again for another 13 to 16 games to really have a chance to vault themselves into that third wild-card spot. They are in a pitched battle with Toronto — just 2.5 games back.
11. Milwaukee Brewers (60-53, No. 12)
12. Minnesota Twins (59-54, No. 18)
13. Cincinnati Reds (59-55, No. 8)
14. Boston Red Sox (57-54, No. 10)
15. Chicago Cubs (58-54, No. 19)
16. Miami Marlins (58-55, No. 14)
17. Arizona Diamondbacks (57-56, No. 13)
18. San Diego Padres (55-57, No. 21)
19. New York Yankees (58-54, No. 17)
20. Los Angeles Angels (56-57, No. 15)
21. Cleveland Guardians (54-58, No. 20)
22. Detroit Tigers (49-62, No. 23)
23. New York Mets (50-61, No. 22)
24. Washington Nationals (49-63, No. 26)
25. Pittsburgh Pirates (50-61, No. 24)
26. St. Louis Cardinals (49-64, No. 25)
27. Colorado Rockies (44-67, No. 28)
28. Chicago White Sox (45-68, No. 27)
29. Kansas City Royals (36-79, No. 29)
30. Oakland Athletics (32-80, No. 30)