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MLB Power Rankings: Atlanta Braves pulling away after strong week

ByScott Roche|
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 23: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves comes to bat during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Truist Park on May 23, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - MAY 23: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves comes to bat during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Truist Park on May 23, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Just when you thought that the Los Angeles Dodgers were closing the gap on the Atlanta Braves, the National League East Division leaders flexed their muscles and showed why they are going to be the team to beat in October and solidified their spot at the top of the MLB Power Rankings.

After losing 8-5 to the San Francisco Giants last Sunday night, all the Braves did was sweep the Colorado Rockies in Denver, then went to Los Angeles to win three out of four over the Dodgers. Just another ho-hum week for Atlanta. They did it in just about every way possible. They won close games, rallied for wins, outslugged their opponents, and won by a blowout.

In the middle third, the Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Giants continue to battle for one of the three Wild Card spots in the National League, while the Toronto Blue Jays are trying to hang around the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros and trying to pull ahead one of them into the final American League wild-card spot.

The bottom third is full of teams that are playing out the final month and hoping to play spoiler to some of the teams ahead of them. As the 2023 season inches closer to the end, here is the first installment of MLB Power Rankings for September.

  1. Atlanta Braves (last week: 1)
  2. Baltimore Orioles (last week: 3)
  3. Los Angeles Dodgers (last week: 2)
  4. Tampa Bay Rays (last week: 6)
  5. Seattle Mariners (last week: 4)
  6. Philadelphia Phillies (last week: 7)
  7. Houston Astros (last week: 8)
  8. Texas Rangers (last week: 5)
  9. Milwaukee Brewers (last week: 10)
  10. Chicago Cubs (last week: 9)
  11. Toronto Blue Jays (last week: 15)
  12. Minnesota Twins (last week: 12)
  13. San Francisco Giants (last week: 11)
  14. Cincinnati Reds (last week: 16)
  15. Arizona Diamondbacks (last week: 17)
  16. Miami Marlins (last week: 14)
  17. Boston Red Sox (last week: 13)
  18. San Diego Padres (last week: 19)
  19. New York Yankees (last week: 21)
  20. Cleveland Guardians (last week: 18)
  21. Los Angeles Angels (last week: 20)
  22. New York Mets (last week: 21)
  23. Detroit Tigers (last week: 24)
  24. Pittsburgh Pirates (last week: 23)
  25. Washington Nationals (last week: 26)
  26. Chicago White Sox (last week: 27)
  27. St. Louis Cardinals (last week: 25)
  28. Colorado Rockies (last week: 28)
  29. Kansas City Royals (last week: 29)
  30. Oakland Athletics (last week: 30)

Now that it’s September, races are going to heat up and wild finishes in a lot of division and Wild Card races are coming.

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