Can any team stop or at least slow down the New York Yankees? This was another week where that question didn’t have a firm answer, and it shows in our most recent MLB power rankings.
This week’s MLB power rankings show the New York Yankees with a firm grip on the top spot but plenty of movement in the top 15
The top five in this week’s MLB power rankings didn’t change from last week, even with the Toronto Blue Jays and Yankees doing battle north of the border. However, the next two spots have new teams with the Atlanta Braves continuing to play extremely well and put pressure on the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants making the NL West an extremely top-heavy division.
Speaking of the NL West, what impact will Manny Machado’s injury have on the San Diego Padres? We moved the Giants ahead of the Padres as questions about what is to come and who will fill his massive offensive shoes linger.
At the bottom of our rankings? Well, welcome back, Oakland A’s and all of the issues that come with you in the eyes of other MLB owners.
Here is this week’s MLB power rankings. As always, we will add one note about one team in each of the thirds of our list.
1. New York Yankees (last week: 1)
2. New York Mets (last week: 2)
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (last week: 3)
4. Houston Astros (last week: 4)
Now in his 17th MLB season, Justin Verlander just keeps climbing in the record books. With his three strikeouts in a Saturday loss to the Chicago White Sox, Verlander now sits in 16th place on MLB’s career strikeout list with 3,094, passing C.C. Sabathia’s 3,093. Verlander racked up those strikeout numbers in 467 career appearances while Sabathia needed 561.
5. Toronto Blue Jays (last week: 5)
6. Atlanta Braves (last week: 7)
7. San Francisco Giants (last week: 11)
8. San Diego Padres (last week: 10)
9. Minnesota Twins (last week: 8)
10. St. Louis Cardinals (last week: 12)
11. Tampa Bay Rays (last week: 6)
12. Cleveland Guardians (last week: 15)
13. Milwaukee Brewers (last week: 9)
14. Boston Red Sox (last week: 13)
15. Philadelphia Phillies (last week: 14)
Kyle Schwarber enters Monday with a 24-game on base streak, the longest of his career and the current active leader among any MLB player. During the streak, he has hit safely in 13 of those games, but is only hitting .216 during the stretch.
16. Chicago White Sox (last week: 16)
17. Miami Marlins (last week: 17)
18. Los Angeles Angels (last week: 18)
19. Texas Rangers (last week: 19)
20. Arizona Diamondbacks (last week: 21)
21. Baltimore Orioles (last week: 22)
22. Seattle Mariners (last week: 20)
Entering Sunday’s home game against the Los Angeles Angels, Seattle’s starting pitchers put together an impressive run. Since May 25 (23 games), Mariners starting pitchers have a combined 2.68 ERA with 38 walks and 111 strikeouts, with opponents hitting just .226 against them. That 2.68 ERA during that period tied for the second-best in all of baseball, just behind the 2.21 ERA posted by the New York Yankees.