Here are my MLB power rankings. To read my latest on the Orioles, click here.
1. Atlanta Braves (84-45, No. 1 last week): With a monster head-to-head series coming up — a four-game set in LA — the Braves start the week with a softer opponent (three at Coors against the hapless Rockies).
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (80-49, No. 2): Meanwhile, the Dodgers get ready for that Braves series with a three-game series in LA against the suddenly red-hot-again D-Backs.
3. Baltimore Orioles (81-49, No. 3): Great teams face adversity and the entire team raises its level collectively. I’d say that sums up the Orioles’ situation. They’re too young to be called great yet, but if they can get by and make a deep run in the postseason — likely without closer Félix Bautista — we’ll start to be able to use that moniker of great.
4. Seattle Mariners (74-56, No. 4): The Mariners are the poster child for the don’t-make-knee-jerk-managerial-changes mantra. Scott Servais navigated the early loss of former Cy Young Award winner Robbie Ray and a monthslong offensive drought to oversee an amazing stretch of baseball (37-17) that has landed the M’s in sole possession of first place in the AL West.
5. Houston Astros (74-58, No. 6): Only one of three AL West rivals is assured of making it into the postseason. Most experts say the Astros are still the best team. If they are, it probably isn’t by design to wait until there are less than 30 games left in the season to really show us why.
6. Tampa Bay Rays (80-52, No. 10): I made a somewhat bold decision to drop the Rays down in my recent rankings based not on their record, but rather the snapshot of how a team is playing and any current injury or off-field issues. With three starting pitchers down and Wander Franco out indefinitely, my calculation was that you could stick a fork in the Rays. All they’ve done is go 11-4 since their swoon. You have to wonder where the next fortifications come from if needed.
7. Texas Rangers (73-57, No. 5): Max Scherzer is back at Citi Field this week, but manager Bruce Bochy has bigger issues than that. Clearly, the Rangers miss Nathan Eovaldi dearly. The hope is that within the next week there will be enough momentum for him to either go right back into the major league rotation or make a start or two in the minors. That said, I’m not sure how they retool a ‘pen that hasn’t been able to hold leads. They’ve lost nine of ten.
8. Philadelphia Phillies (72-58, No. 8): I went up to Philly to see an Orioles game there about a month ago, and a buddy pointed out on the ride home after a gut-wrenching O’s loss how much that crowd willed the home team to win games late. Keep an eye on it, and don’t be surprised if this club isn’t still alive to play for the NL crown.
9. Milwaukee Brewers (73-57, No. 9): With the Reds stumbling during the last month (10-15), the Brew Crew began to take charge of the NL Central … at least until the Cubs heated up and played their way into the picture. The Brewers now have a big series at Wrigley Field to start the week. Brewers owner Mark Attanasio recently met with the media and made clear that they want Craig Counsell to continue as the club’s manager. Counsell’s contract runs through the 2023 season.
10. Toronto Blue Jays (71-60, No. 7): Trying to figure out why it doesn’t come together for talented teams is never easy. It usually means the skipper is in trouble. Jays president Mark Shapiro and GM Ross Atkins would have to have a deep belief in manager John Schneider to keep him after such a disappointing season. Then again, they still appear to be in the race for a wild card, but they need to really heat up to surpass one of the three teams in front of them in the wild-card standings.
11. Minnesota Twins (68-63, No. 11)
12. Arizona Diamondbacks (69-62, No. 13)
13. Boston Red Sox (69-62, No. 12)
14. Chicago Cubs (69-61, No. 15)
15. Cincinnati Reds (68-64, No. 14)
16. San Francisco Giants (67-63, No. 16)
17. Miami Marlins (66-65, No. 17)
18. Cleveland Guardians (62-69, No. 19)
19. Los Angeles Angels (63-68, No. 18)
20. New York Yankees (62-68, No. 20)
21. Washington Nationals (61-70, No. 23)
22. San Diego Padres (61-70, No. 21)
23. Detroit Tigers (59-71, No. 22)
24. Pittsburgh Pirates (58-73, No. 25)
25. New York Mets (60-71, No. 24)
26. St. Louis Cardinals (56-75, No. 26)
27. Chicago White Sox (52-79, No. 27)
28. Colorado Rockies (49-81, No. 28)
29. Kansas City Royals (41-91, No. 29)
30. Oakland Athletics (38-93, No. 30)