MLB Players Power Rankings: Top 10 Hitters in Week-21

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Who was the best hitter during Week-21 of the baseball season? Find out in this latest edition of MLB Players Power Rankings.

In this week’s “MLB Players Power Rankings,” a member of the lowly Baltimore Orioles breaks the top 10, but who? Also, a member of the Houston Astros challenges another player in the AL West for the number one slot.

Who was the best hitter in baseball during week-21 of the 2019 MLB season? You’ll have to scroll through to find out.

Before we delve into the numbers, however, let’s take a look at the full list of the best hitters during week-21 of the MLB season. Remember, we make our determinations by ranking hitters based on their individual advanced stats (SLG, wOBA, wRC+, and fWAR). Scores are then totaled and sorted.

With that being said, here are your 10-6 hitters in this week’s MLB Players Power Rankings.

10. Kyle Seager, Seattle Mariners

Week-21 Stats: 0.727 SLG | 0.489 wOBA | 218 wRC+ | 0.6 fWAR

9. Brian Goodwin, Los Angeles Angels

Week-21 Stats: 0.778 SLG | 0.492 wOBA | 218 wRC+ | 0.4 fWAR

8. J.P. Crawford, Seattle Mariners

Week-21 Stats: 0.708 SLG | 0.495 wOBA | 222 wRC+ | 0.6 fWAR

7. Marcell Ozuna, St. Louis Cardinals

Week-21 Stats: 0.760 SLG | 0.503 wOBA | 216 wRC+ | 0.5 fWAR

6. Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays

Week-21 Stats: 0.815 SLG | 0.498 wOBA | 219 wRC+ | 0.5 fWAR

MLB Players Power Rankings (5): Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees

Week-21 Stats: 0.826 SLG | 0.510 wOBA | 226 wRC+ | 0.5 fWAR

Over the last few seasons, Yankees fans have been down on general manager Brian Cashman’s moves – or lack thereof – at the trade deadline. It’s hard to argue with them considering that the “Evil Empire” hasn’t really made any big moves to brag about.

However, one thing fans of the Yankees can’t argue with is that Cashman has a knack for acquiring MLB-ready top prospects. The best example of this is Gleyber Torres, who Cashman acquired, basically, for free.

In 2016, the Yankees took a chance on Aroldis Chapman, the once highly acclaimed closer for the Cinncinati Reds. After some bad press surfaced about Chapman in that offseason, teams weren’t willing to risk acquiring a closer who was supposed to be suspended to start the 2016 MLB season… except for the Yanks.

Cashman and the Yankees gambled on Chapman and it paid off. By the trade deadline, the Chicago Cubs were in need of a closer if they were to break their World Series drought and out of desperation, they traded Gleyber Torres to the Yankees for Chapman.

Later that fall, Chapman helped the Cubs win the World Series and then promptly signed with the Yankees again in the offseason.

Now, the Yanks have one of the best infielders in the game in Torres and closer Aroldis Chapman. This season, Torres has proven just how important that move was back in 2016. In 120 games this season, Torres already has 32 home runs and is posting a phenomenal .900 OPS.

As for Chapman, he leads MLB in saves with 35

MLB Players Power Rankings (4): Jonathan Villar, Baltimore Orioles

Week-21 Stats: 0.889 SLG | 0.507 wOBA | 225 wRC+ | 0.5 fWAR

This season, the Baltimore Orioles are flirting with having the worst season in the franchise’s history. With a 43-88 record, the O’s have a .328 W-L%, the second-worst record in the team’s history since moving to Baltimore.

The worst record in the team’s franchise? Last season, when they went 47-115 with a .290 W-L%. But all isn’t lost for Bird Land. Lost in all of this losing are a couple of developing players with a bright future.

One of those players, Jonathan Villar just had one of the best weeks of the 2019 MLB season. While Villar is no spring chicken, this season he’s having a breakout year of sorts.

His 20 home runs are already a career-high; his 60 RBI are just three short of a career-high; and his .813 OPS is just .013 points fewer than his career-high .826 posted in 2016.

Villar has just one season left of arbitration before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2021. With a $4.825M current salary, next season he’ll be looking for a significant raise. This begs the question of whether the Orioles attempt to trade him for a contending team looking for a speedster infielder with newfound pop.

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

MLB Players Power Rankings (3): Anthony Rendon, Washington Nationals

Week-21 Stats: 0.793 SLG | 0.532 wOBA | 232 wRC+ | 0.7 fWAR

Anthony Rendon remains one of the most underrated talents in Major League Baseball. Rumored to have been shopped during the 2019 MLB trade deadline, the Washington Nationals decided instead to stick with the elite third baseman. That was the best non-move of any MLB team this season.

This season, Rendon has a top-five fWAR (5.7) in MLB according to FanGraphs. What’s more, he ranks top-five in wOBA (.416) and is one of four players in baseball with a .600+ SLG.

This level of performance has helped the Nats move into playoff contention, featuring the best-run differential of any team in the NL East. Currently, they sit 6.0 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves. They hold the first Wild Card spot by 4.0 games over the Chicago Cubs, who sit ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies by 1.5 games.

During week-21 of the MLB season, Anthony Rendon actually tied with the number one-hitter in this list for the highest fWAR. However, some of his other stats paled in comparison to the players ahead of him.

With Rendon continuing to play at this level, when he hits free agency next season the Nats are going to have a tough decision to make. Lose a second elite player to another team or retain him?

We’ll have to wait and see what happens.

MLB Players Power Rankings (2): Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

Week-21 Stats: 0.833 SLG | 0.533 wOBA | 247 wRC+ | 0.6 fWAR

Compared to his previous seasons, Jose Altuve is having a relatively quiet 2019 MLB season. That’s not to say that he’s playing poorly, but rather that it’s not an Altuve-esque type season.

Part of the reason for that is that Altuve missed significant time due to a hamstring strain. The other reason is that he’s not hitting for contact like he used to.

However, Altuve is doing something this season he has never done before. He’s hitting for power.

In fact, this season, Altuve has tied his career-high 24 home runs in significantly fewer games. This has resulted in the highest slugging percentage (.556) in the hitters’ career.

Conversely, his .304 AVG is the lowest it’s been since he hit .283 in 2013. On the other hand, it still ranks Altuve in the top 20 in MLB. That goes to show you just how good Altuve is.

Currently, the Houston Astros are tied with the New York Yankees for the best record in the American League and MLB. If a World Series is in the team’s future, there’s a good chance home-field advantage will remain with the AL team.

(Photo by Jordan Murph/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

MLB Players Power Rankings (1): Mark Canha, Oakland Athletics

Week-21 Stats: 1.158 SLG | 0.658 wOBA | 329 wRC+ | 0.7 fWAR

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You might be asking yourself who is Mark Canha?

Well, he’s another one of these Oakland Athletics projects that are panning out and then some this season. The 30-year-old outfielder from San Jose, California is a 5-year MLB veteran who specialized in the outfield and first base.

Prior to this season, Canha was only able to muster up an OPS of .778. This season, however, while slashing a career-high .275 / .390 / .546, Canha has a .937 OPS. What’s more, he’s already posted a career-high in home runs with 22. Four of those home runs came in week-21 of the season.

With Khris Davis having a down season this year, Canha has been a huge contributor for the team #RootedInOakland. Currently, the A’s are trailing the Houston Astros by 9.5 games in the AL West. However, they’re just 0.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the Wild Card.

Cahna’s performance has helped the Athletics be in a position to be able to fight for a playoff berth this late in the season. In fact, earlier this year, the A’s spent significant time in third, fourth, and even fifth place in the division.

Next. Aaron Judge promises fan home run, then delivers. dark

Now, they stand a chance to appear in the playoffs, all the while continuing to prove that you don’t need to empty the bank to compete in MLB.

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