MLB Power Rankings: The rise of the expected contenders

Over the past week, two teams that were expected to have a strong 2018 campaign began to find their stride. How will this shake up the MLB Power Rankings?

Heading into the 2018 season, it was expected that the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago Cubs would find their way towards the top of the MLB Power Rankings. It certainly made sense that they would have a strong performance, with the Cubs improving their rotation and the Yankees stellar lineup.

Instead, the Yankees and Cubs stumbled out of the gates. What had been a rough week or two continued, and as the calendar continued towards May, those stumbles became more concerning. Eventually, it was expected that these teams would come out of their malaise, and ascend to the top of the standings.

Well, as April is about to turn into May, two of those teams have begun to round into form. The Yankees and Cubs have been on a tear, shooting up the standings as they have put themselves back into the early playoff picture. Meanwhile, the Nationals have continued to struggle, sitting in an expected fourth place in the division.

There is still plenty of time left in the season for these teams to move up the standings and reclaim their expected place atop their divisions. For now, let us see how these recent runs have impacted the MLB Power Rankings.