Right now, it’s not easy to fill out the power rankings. But if you look carefully, the Minnesota Twins really only hold on to a top-10 spot because there is no other team over .500. That means the No. 11 Boston Red Sox (33-33) are currently the only other team at or above .500.
In fact, there are only four games separating the Red Sox and the No. 25 New York Mets (28-36). That translates into an awful lot of mediocrity out there. If the season ended last night, two under-.500 National League teams in the Padres and Cardinals would qualify for the postseason.
Not exactly great for MLB’s recently expanded playoff system, which draws the three division winners and three wild cards in each league.
Now, let’s take a moment to address the Orioles’ latest sigh of relief. It had to be the moment we heard Kyle Bradish was penciled in for a real start on June 8 after he was held back for a couple days. The Orioles’ cone of silence on his situation led to speculation that something was amiss with Bradish’s electric right arm.
All Bradish did was go six shutout innings, allowing just an infield hit to Yandy Díaz while striking out nine and walking none.
In between his eight-out start against the Rays in Baltimore on June 1 in which he allowed seven hits, three walks and five earned runs, Bradish was brilliant. He combined to throw 13 shutout innings against the White Sox on May 26 and Rays on June 8, allowing one hit, walking four and striking out 20.
The noise you heard in Baltimore this weekend was the collective sigh of relief by a baseball town in the middle of a World Series chase. But I’m sure it won’t take Baltimore long to find a new worry. It’s what life is like when you have a real contending team. Get used to it.
Now without further ado, here are my power rankings.
1. Philadelphia Phillies (45-20, No. 1 last week): Hard to believe the Phillies have a nine-game lead over the Braves until you look at the unreal numbers Ranger Suárez, Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler are posting. The length they provide will keep their ‘pen from burning out.
2. New York Yankees (46-21, No. 2): And they get Gerrit Cole back in 10 to 14 days?
3. Baltimore Orioles (42-22, No. 3): The fan base could use a bit of a chill pill. Four weeks ago it was Craig Kimbrel who was done, and then in the past couple weeks both Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins have been looked upon as road kill. All are making their contributions.
4. Cleveland Guardians (42-22, No. 4): Did you know José Ramírez already has 62 RBIs? The longtime Guardians staple is having another big year.
5. Los Angeles Dodgers (41-26, No. 7): The series in the Bronx added some luster.
6. Milwaukee Brewers (38-27, No. 5): The Brewers quietly moved DL Hall to the 60-day injured list, but the team is very happy with the Joey Ortiz end of the Corbin Burnes deal.
7. Kansas City Royals (39-27, No. 6): Michael Wacha’s fractured foot is a big deal, especially since his replacement Daniel Lynch doesn’t pass the smell test. Concerns with James McArthur at closer are percolating.
8. Seattle Mariners (37-30, No. 9): The Mariners are in first place in the AL West, but can rookie infielder Tyler Locklear help lift a so-so offense at a time when they are down Ty France for at least three weeks?
9. Atlanta Braves (35-28, No. 8): There is time, but right now this team doesn’t even look guaranteed to be playing into October. The front office is doing a lot of un-Braves-like things in rushing prospect after prospect up to the bigs.
10. Minnesota Twins (34-31, No. 10): The inability this club has to show anything remotely close to consistency makes the Twins a far less serious contender for anything. If they don’t get their act together, they’ll end up looking up at Tigers.
11. Boston Red Sox (33-33, No. 12)
12. Detroit Tigers (32-33, No. 14)
13. San Diego Padres (34-35, No. 11)
14. St. Louis Cardinals (31-33, No. 13)
15. Cincinnati Reds (32-34, No. 22)
16. Toronto Blue Jays (32-33, No. 18)
17. Texas Rangers (31-34, No. 15)
18. Chicago Cubs (32-34, No. 17)
19. San Francisco Giants (32-34, No. 23)
20. Pittsburgh Pirates (31-34, No. 19)
21. Tampa Bay Rays (31-34, No. 16)
22. Arizona Diamondbacks (31-35, No. 20)
23. Houston Astros (30-36, No. 21)
24. Washington Nationals (30-35, No. 24)
25. New York Mets (28-36, No. 25)
26. Los Angeles Angels (25-40, No. 27)
27. Oakland Athletics (26-41, No. 26)
28. Miami Marlins (22-43, No. 28)
29. Colorado Rockies (23-42, No. 29)
30. Chicago White Sox (17-49, No. 30)