Los Angeles Dodgers take over MLB power rankings lead

As MLB prepares with the rest of America to celebrate the Independence Day holiday, the Los Angeles Dodgers have taken over the top of the power rankings.

One month ago, the Houston Astros sat atop my June MLB Power Ranking, my first of the 2017 season. My personal policy has always been to make sure we get two full months behind us before making such evaluations, other than a preseason list.

Back at the start of June, the Los Angeles Dodgers were third in the Power Ranking. The Dodgers were also the second-ranked team in the National League at that time behind only the Washington Nationals.

Now as July opens, those Dodgers have romped their way to the very top. The month of July began in exactly the way that June had ended for the club, with an impressive performance.

The Dodgers shut out the San Diego Padres on Saturday night by an 8-0 score. Los Angeles won for the third straight time. It also marked the club’s 20th victory in their last 23 games.

That 20-3 stretch has pushed Los Angeles out to a 3.5 game lead in the NL West. The hot three-week stretch also gives them the best overall record in the National League standings with a 55-28 mark.

The Dodgers are fourth in baseball with 436 runs scored. A combined .790 team OPS is also the fourth-best in the game. Their 344 walks is the highest total of free passes drawn in all of MLB.

On the mound, Dave Roberts‘ pitching staff is the best in all of Major League Baseball statistically. The Dodgers pitchers have a cumulative 3.20 ERA and .224 Batting Average Against. Both of those are the best marks in baseball by a wide margin.

DEEP AND TALENTED PITCHING STAFF

Clayton Kershaw is back to being the best starting pitcher on the planet. The 29-year old lefty has a 12-2 record with a 2.32 ERA, 0.911 WHIP, and 3.23 FIP mark. Kershaw has allowed just 86 hits in 116.1 innings over 17 starts with a 135/20 K:BB ratio.

Incredibly, Kershaw has only been the second-most impressive starter for the Dodgers. 26-year old lefty Alex Wood is 9-0 with a 1.83 ERA, 0.910 WHIP, and 2.11 FIP. Wood has allowed just 47 hits in 73.2 innings with an 87/20 K:BB ratio.

In the bullpen, Kenley Jansen has been the most dominant closer in the game. The big 29-year old righty is 4-0 with 18 Saves. Jansen has a 0.79 ERA and 0.529 WHIP, has allowed 17 hits over 34 innings, and has produced an insane 53/1 K:BB mark. No, that walks total is not a typo.

Their deep, veteran pitching rotation also includes lefties Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu, righy Kenta Maeda, and currently injured righty Brandon McCarthy. LA appears built to weather most any storm.

VERSATILE OFFENSIVE ATTACK

Cody Bellinger is the top National League Rookie of the Year candidate, and has been a revelation for the Dodgers offensive attack. The 21-year old left fielder leads the club with 24 home runs, 39 extra-base hits, and 56 RBI. Bellinger is second on the team with 47 runs scored.

23-year old shortstop Corey Seager, last year’s NL Rookie of the Year, continues to demonstrate that he is one of the top young players in the game today. Seager has a .299/.401/.511 slash line with 13 homers and 40 RBI. His 57 runs scored leads the team.

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

Enigmatic 26-year old right fielder Yasiel Puig is second on the team with 15 homers, 42 RBI, and nine stolen bases. Puig can both exasperate and exhilarate the Dodgers fans. Fortunately, it appears that he is doing more of the latter this season.

Third baseman Justin Turner continues to be one of the most underrated stars in the game. The 32-year old veteran is hitting for a phenomenal .388./.473/.565 slash. Turner has seven homers, 31 RBI, and 37 runs scored despite missing almost a month on the DL.

HELP DOWN THE STRETCH?

The offense could get even better in the second half of the season. Adrian Gonzalez is on the Disabled List with a herniated disc in his back. Los Angeles is deep enough that they can likely allow the 35-year old veteran first baseman to take his time. Gonzalez’ experienced bat could make all the difference come October.

So the Los Angeles Dodgers having vaulted to the top of the July MLB Power Ranking. Now let’s take a look at where the other 30 clubs in Major League Baseball currently stand as America prepares to celebrate its Independence Day holiday.

JULY 2017 MLB POWER RANKING: 30-21

30. Philadelphia Phillies

29. San Diego Padres

28. Oakland Athletics

27. Miami Marlins

26. San Francisco Giants

25. Chicago White Sox

24. Cincinnati Reds

23. Pittsburgh Pirates

22. Toronto Blue Jays

21. Detroit Tigers

The Phillies are at the bottom of the ranking for a second consecutive month. It’s going to take some doing for them to find their way out of the basement. Fans of the Fightin’ Phils have nothing more to look forward to than the possibility of more young position prospects such as Nick Williams making an appearance in the second half.

GIANTS AND JAYS HAVE STRUGGLED

In what has been a surprisingly miserable season thus far, the Giants have strung together five consecutive wins heading into Sunday action. Perhaps it is the start of a turnaround for the club that I predicted would win the NL West. But it is clearly too little, too late.

The Blue Jays have dropped the furthest over the last month. The June rankings had Toronto in the #12 position. But the Jays went 11-15 in June, and have now lost three in a row and eight of their last 11 games.

Toronto is now 4.5 games out in the American League Wildcard race. Detroit is 5.5 games back. Those two clubs have about three weeks left to make a serious move. Otherwise, both could be sellers come the MLB trade deadline. They are the only two clubs in this section of the rankings with even a remote shot at a postseason berth.

JULY 2017 MLB POWER RANKING: 20-11

20. Atlanta Braves

19. Baltimore Orioles

18. New York Mets

17. Saint Louis Cardinals

16. Seattle Mariners

15. Texas Rangers

14. Kansas City Royals

13. Los Angeles Angels

12. Minnesota Twins

11. Chicago Cubs

I simply cannot believe that almost halfway through the 2017 season, I am putting the Cubbies into this tier. Ranked 9th back at the start of June, an argument could be made that both places were generous to the defending World Series champions. That talent is still there, but manager Joe Maddon had best get his charges moving, and soon.

SOME SURPRISING CONTENDERS

Both the Angels and Royals are risers. Back at the start of June, those two clubs were 23rd and 21st respectively. The most amazing part of this for the Halos is that they have done it without superstar Mike Trout, who will be out another two weeks.

The Twins just refuse to go away. Headed into action on Sunday, Minnesota is still just a half-game out in the AL Wildcard race, two games behind Cleveland in the AL Central.

In this tier, I’m prepared to write off both the Mets and Braves. Everyone else has to be considered a playoff contender. But I’ll be very surprised if the American League remains as closely bunched come the start of August as it is right now.