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MLB Power Rankings: Atlanta Braves still leading the way, but Tampa Bay Rays coming

ByScott Roche|
Sep 17, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (8) and right fielder Josh Lowe (15) celebrate after a home run during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe (8) and right fielder Josh Lowe (15) celebrate after a home run during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports

The team at the top of the MLB power rankings nearly all season, the Atlanta Braves, locked up the National League East Division on Wednesday night with a win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The news was not all good for the Braves as Ronald Acuña Jr. was removed from Friday night’s game against the Miami Marlins due to right calf tightness. It appears that Atlanta, however, avoided a serious injury to their leadoff hitter before the playoffs begin.

The middle of the pack sees the Toronto Blue Jays having one of the more head-scratching weeks from being swept by home by the Texas Rangers, to sweeping the fast-fading Boston Red Sox. The New York Yankees made a jump in the rankings this week after winning five out of seven games.

The bottom half of this week’s rankings see the Red Sox enter there after firing Chaim Bloom and dropping three out of four at home to the Yankees and then getting swept north of the border. The Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics remain at the bottom. However, if there is one silver lining for Oakland this season, it’s that the Royals reached 100 losses first.

Without further ado, here are the next-to-last MLB power rankings for the 2023 regular season.

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

Two weeks remain until the postseason begins. There are still plenty of races to follow between divisions and Wild Card races. It’s going to be a fun final 13 days.

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