MLB power rankings: Where teams stand at the MLB trade deadline

As the MLB trade deadline approaches, the teams that sit at the top of this edition of our MLB power rankings are also the same teams that reportedly are still in the hunt to improve their teams for a postseason run.

In our latest MLB power rankings, there is a shakeup in the top 10 as the MLB trade deadline draws near.

Once again this week, the New York Yankees hold the top spot in our MLB power rankings, but the Los Angeles Dodgers have crept back into the second position, thanks in part to the Dodgers narrowly holding the highest winning percentage in all of baseball (.673 versus .670 by the Yankees, who have played two more games than the Dodgers).

That drops the Houston Astros to third this week, one of several top 10 teams from last week who went backwards in this week’s MLB power rankings. The Tampa Bay Rays took the biggest step back, going 3-7 in their last 10 games on their way to dropping from ninth to 13th in our list.

The Philadelphia Phillies, however, swapped spots with the Rays, moving from 13th to ninth on the heels of a five-game winning streak, part of which came with some history.

The #Phillies’ 4-game sweep over the #Pirates in Pittsburgh was their first one since 1968 when the Pirates still played at Forbes Field, two stadiums ago.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 31, 2022

As plenty more moves are expected before Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline, we present this week’s MLB power rankings. As is customary, 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)

3. Houston Astros (last week: 2)

4. New York Mets (last week: 4)

5. Atlanta Braves (last week: 5)

6. Milwaukee Brewers (last week: 7)

7. Toronto Blue Jays (last week: 8)

Matt Chapman is on a roll for the Blue Jays, homering for the fourth time in his last four games to reach the 20-homer mark for the fourth time in his career. Chapman hit nine home runs in the month of July. Only Aaron Judge (13) hit more in the month in the American League.

8. San Diego Padres (last week: 6)

9. Philadelphia Phillies (last week: 13)

10. St. Louis Cardinals (last week: 12)

11. Seattle Mariners (last week: 11)

12. Minnesota Twins (last week: 10)

13. Tampa Bay Rays (last week: 9)

14. Cleveland Guardians (last week: 15)

15. Chicago White Sox (last week: 16)

16. Baltimore Orioles (last week: 17)

17. San Francisco Giants (last week: 14)

Joey Bart has had a rough season for the Giants, but Saturday night’s home run was one for the record books. That homer had an exit velocity of 114.3 mph, the hardest-hit ball of his career and the hardest-hit home run for the Giants since Statcast began tracking the statistic in 2015.

18. Boston Red Sox (last week: 18)

19. Miami Marlins (last week: 19)

20. Texas Rangers (last week: 21)

21. Colorado Rockies (last week: 20)

22. Arizona Diamondbacks (last week: 22)

23. Los Angeles Angels (last week: 23)

24. Detroit Tigers (last week: 24)

The Detroit Tigers were held to just three hits in Sunday’s loss in Toronto, marking an MLB-high 12th time this season the Tigers have posted three or fewer hits in a game.