Here are my latest MLB power rankings:
1. Atlanta Braves (36-18, No. 1 last week): Want to know one huge difference between the Orioles and Braves? Braves top starters Chris Sale and Bryce Elder have combined to pitch 130.2 innings to the tune of a 1.92 ERA. The Orioles’ top two starters at the beginning of the season, Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish, have a combined to pitch 95 innings with a 5.40 ERA. It’s not brain surgery.
2. Tampa Bay Rays (34-16, No. 5): The Rays have worn me down. I was wrong in March when I ranked them in the 20s. My preseason thoughts can no longer impact the Rays’ ranking here.
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (33-20, No. 2): The Dodgers spent huge on two players this past offseason: Edwin Díaz (IL, elbow) and Kyle Tucker (.251/.355/.412 with four homers). But that won’t stop them from adding what they need.
4. Milwaukee Brewers (30-20, No. 6): Feels like the three-game series at Miller Park against the Cardinals this week is a good chance for the Brewers to create a little separation.
5. New York Yankees (31-22, No. 3): Quite a statement Gerrit Cole made in his first start back from Tommy John surgery with six scoreless against the Rays. The Yankees are now on the road all week in Kansas City and West Sacramento.
6. Cleveland Guardians (32-23, No. 10): A 14-4 run has the Guardians spurting to a nice lead in the American League Central. But it’s the White Sox and Twins chasing them, not the Tigers and Royals.
7. San Diego Padres (31-21, No. 7): If I told you as May was about to turn to June and the Padres were right on the tail of the Dodgers and Jackson Merrill was batting .202 and Manny Machado was batting .174, you’d be like, “Hell yeah.”
8. Philadelphia Phillies (26-27, No. 8): Coming off a 2-4 week at home, this week could well be a make-or-break one with three at San Diego and three against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
9. Chicago Cubs (29-24, No. 4): It all fell apart very quickly didn’t it? Does PCA seem extension-worthy today?
10. St. Louis Cardinals (29-22, No. 9): The Cardinals are staring down an all-NL Central week with series against the Brewers in Milwaukee and against the Cubs at home.
11. Athletics (27-26, No. 12)
12. Arizona Diamondbacks (28-24, No. 18)
13. Pittsburgh Pirates (27-26, No. 11)
14. Seattle Mariners (25-29, No. 13)
15. Cincinnati Reds (27-25, No. 14)
16. Toronto Blue Jays (25-28, No. 19)
17. Washington Nationals (27-27, No. 15)
18. Chicago White Sox (26-26, No. 17)
19. Texas Rangers (24-28, No. 16)
20. Minnesota Twins (26-27, No. 27)
21. Miami Marlins (25-29, No. 24)
22. Boston Red Sox (22-30, No. 20)
23. Baltimore Orioles (23-30, No. 25)
24. New York Mets (22-31, No. 22)
25. Detroit Tigers (21-33, No. 21)
26. Houston Astros (23-31, No. 28)
27. Kansas City Royals (22-31, No. 23)
28. San Francisco Giants (22-31, No. 26)
29. Los Angeles Angels (20-34, No. 30)
30. Colorado Rockies (20-34, No. 29)