Here are my power rankings ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.
1. Philadelphia Phillies (65-40, No. 1 last week): The Phillies have added closer Carlos Estévez and right-handed-hitting outfielder Austin Hays. You have to like what club president Dave Dombrowski has skillfully put together.
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (63-44, No. 3): I am moving the Dodgers up based on the confidence I have in club president Andrew Friedman and GM Brandon Gomes to tap into their wealth and turn it into starting and relief pitchers who can matter in October.
3. Baltimore Orioles (62-43, No. 2): If I were a cartoonist, I’d probably draw GM Mike Elias as the little Dutch Boy who plugged all those holes in the dam. Suddenly, there are bullpen issues and hitting issues to go along with a starting rotation short on options even after the acquisition of Zach Eflin.
4. New York Yankees (62-45, No. 4): After adding Jazz Chisholm Jr., GM Brian Cashman is zeroing in on bullpen help. The Yankees are hot on the trail of former Orioles lefty reliever Tanner Scott. But if they were close on him, wouldn’t they have gotten him with Chisholm?
5. Cleveland Guardians (63-42, No. 6): The Guardians are still short on bats — especially with Josh Naylor out the past couple days to try to freshen up — but huge rookie Jhonkensy Noel has six home runs in 60 at-bats. Hunter Gaddis and Emmanuel Clase continue to be quite a duo in the eighth and ninth.
6. Minnesota Twins (58-46, No. 10): Seems like the Twins have plenty of life. A three-game series at Citi Field against the Mets is one of the week’s most interesting. They end the week with three at home against the hapless White Sox.
7. Milwaukee Brewers (60-45, No. 5): How are the Brewers going to make up for the loss of Christian Yelich? He was having a resurgent season.
8. Houston Astros (55-50, No. 7): The Astros hope Kyle Tucker is back before September. With Cristian Javier and José Urquidy down due to Tommy John surgery and Justin Verlander valiantly trying to get back from a strained neck, the rotation needs a jolt. Can anyone say Jack Flaherty or Erick Fedde?
9. Boston Red Sox (55-49, No. 8): The Sox picked up a safe starting pitcher in veteran lefty James Paxton after the Dodgers designated him. They’ve got to be lurking on Tanner Scott.
10. San Diego Padres (57-51, No. 14): I have bashed GM A.J. Preller pretty hard throughout the years, but I have to credit how he has put a team together with this much pluck. The Padres are winning without Fernando Tatis Jr., Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove. Skipper Mike Shildt was an inspired hire after Preller failed so miserably on two of the last three managers. Usually, general managers don’t get to hire four managers.
11. Kansas City Royals (57-49, No. 9)
12. St. Louis Cardinals (54-51, No. 11)
13. Seattle Mariners (56-51, No. 13)
14. Atlanta Braves (56-48, No. 12)
15. Arizona Diamondbacks (55-51, No. 16)
16. New York Mets (55-50, No. 17)
17. Pittsburgh Pirates (53-52, No. 15)
18. Tampa Bay Rays (54-52, No. 18)
19. Detroit Tigers (52-55, No. 20)
20. Texas Rangers (51-55, No. 19)
21. San Francisco Giants (53-55, No. 23)
22. Cincinnati Reds (50-55, No. 22)
23. Chicago Cubs (51-56, No. 24)
24. Toronto Blue Jays (49-56, No. 25)
25. Washington Nationals (49-57, No. 21)
26. Los Angeles Angels (46-60, No. 26)
27. Oakland Athletics (44-64, No. 28)
28. Miami Marlins (39-67, No. 29)
29. Colorado Rockies (38-69, No. 27)
30. Chicago White Sox (27-81, No. 30)