We have reached the MLB All-Star break and there is plenty of movement inside the top 10 in this week’s MLB power rankings.
In this week’s MLB power rankings, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners provide a shakeup in our top 10.
While the New York Yankees hold the top spot once again in our MLB power rankings, the Los Angeles Dodgers have climbed back up to second spot, leapfrogging the Houston Astros. The Dodgers head into the All-Star Game (which they are hosting) with wins in nine of their last 10 games and a 13-2 mark in the month of July. And here’s a scary thought for the rest of the National League … the Dodgers will likely improve the team at the upcoming MLB trade deadline.
Further down in the top 10, the Mariners now have a 14-1 record in July … and all of those 14 wins came in a row. The team that was a combined 21-28 in the months of April and May has turned things around and owns one of the American League Wild Card slots heading into the break. Seattle could tie the franchise’s all-time mark for consecutive wins (15) when the Houston Astros visit the Pacific Northwest on Friday.
The Mariners, by the way, have made history with their run.
The @Mariners have won 14 straight games, the longest winning streak entering the All-Star break in MLB history.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) July 17, 2022
Prior to this season, the longest win streak entering the break was 10 games by the 1975 Reds, 1945 Cubs and 1935 Tigers, all of whom made the World Series that year.
While those two teams may be among the ones moving up, the Boston Red Sox are heading in the opposite direction, falling out of the top 10 after going 3-8 in their last 11 games, including dropping six of their last seven outings.
And, speaking of the opposite direction, the Washington Nationals are now in the basement on our list. How bad will the Juan Soto drama get in the nation’s capital?
Below is the week’s MLB power rankings heading into the All-Star Game. As has become our tradition, we are including one note of interest about one team in each of the thirds of our list.
1. New York Yankees (last week: 1)
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (last week: 3)
Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman crossed the 1,000 career RBI mark on Saturday night with his fifth-inning home run. With the long ball, he became the 294th player in AL/NL history to reach that milestone. A late addition to the All-Star Game, he enters the contest red-hot, posting a .563 batting average during what is now an eight-game hitting streak.
3. Houston Astros (last week: 2)
4. New York Mets (last week: 4)
5. Atlanta Braves (last week: 5)
6. Seattle Mariners (last week: 13)
7. Tampa Bay Rays (last week: 11)
8. San Diego Padres (last week: 6)
9. Milwaukee Brewers (last week: 7)
10. Minnesota Twins (last week: 9)
11. Toronto Blue Jays (last week: 12)
12. Philadelphia Phillies (last week: 10)
13. St. Louis Cardinals (last week: 14)
With a .330 batting average heading into his start for the National League at first base on Tuesday night, Paul Goldschmidt is the first Cardinal to lead the NL in batting average at the All-Star break since Yadier Molina (.341) and Allen Craig (.333) finished first and second heading into the 2013 Midsummer Classic.
14. Baltimore Orioles (last week: 15)
15. San Francisco Giants (last week: 16)
16. Boston Red Sox (last week: 8)
17. Cleveland Guardians (last week: 17)
18. Chicago White Sox (last week: 19)
19. Miami Marlins (last week: 18)
20. Colorado Rockies (last week: 23)
21. Texas Rangers (last week: 20)
22. Arizona Diamondbacks (last week: 21)
23. Los Angeles Angels (last week: 22)
24. Detroit Tigers (last week: 24)
Eric Haase is making an impact in Detroit. Since June began, Haase is slashing .306/.355/.576 with 12 extra-base hits (including five home runs) and 15 RBI. He ranks sixth in slugging percentage among AL hitters with at least 80 plate appearances since the calendar flipped to June.