MLB Power Rankings 2013: Team Rankings After Opening Month

The first month of the 2013 MLB season is in the books, and while there is still an awful lot of baseball to be played, we're starting to get a better idea of how things are going to shake out this year.

That said, this past week was one of those weeks where a number of top teams struggled, and that makes for some shaking up in this week's rankings, as we have a new No. 1 team and five newcomers in the top 10.

So here are this week's MLB power rankings. Be sure to check back here each Monday for an updated look at where your favorite team stands.

All stats via MLB.com unless otherwise noted, and accurate through April 28.

30. Miami Marlins (6-19, Previous: 30)

Last Week's Results: 2-4

at Minnesota Twins (1-1)
vs. Chicago Cubs (1-3)

Team Notes

In a battle for the title of worst team in the National League over the weekend, the Marlins dropped three of four to the Cubs at home, solidifying their spot at the bottom of these rankings.

On the plus side, slugger Giancarlo Stanton hit his first home run of the season on Saturday and went a combined 4-for-6 with three home runs and five RBI over the past two games.

The starting pitching, led by Kevin Slowey (5 GS, 2.43 ERA) and Ricky Nolasco (6 GS, 3.82 ERA), continues to be passable with a 4.26 ERA. All told, there's not much reason to make the trip out to Marlins Park these days though.

This Week's Opponents

vs. New York Mets (3)
at Philadelphia Phillies (3)

29. Houston Astros (7-18, Previous: 29)

Last Week's Results: 2-5

vs. Seattle Mariners (2-1)
at Boston Red Sox (0-4)

Team Notes

With a disastrous starting rotation and an offense that struggles to consistently make contact with the baseball, the Astros continue to resemble a minor league team.

They have a collective 5.51 ERA, including 6.34 from their starting pitchers. The trio of Erik Bedard (0-2, 7.98 ERA), Phil Humber (0-5, 7.99 ERA) and Brad Peacock (1-3, 8.44 ERA) are barely passable options in the rotation at this point.

At the plate, they have struck out 248 times, with Chris Carter leading the whiff barrage with 43 in 88 at-bats. The middle infield duo of Jose Altuve (.801 OPS) and Marwin Gonzalez (.860 OPS) is one of the team's few strengths.

This Week's Opponents

at New York Yankees (3)
vs. Detroit Tigers (4) 

28. Chicago Cubs (9-15, Previous: 28)

Last Week's Results: 4-3

at Cincinnati Reds (1-2)
at Miami Marlins (3-1) 

Team Notes

It was a positive week for the Cubs from a record standpoint, but three of their four wins came against the only team in the National League worse than them in the Marlins.

The struggles in the clutch continue, as they're hitting .151 with runners in scoring position and have scored just 80 runs in 24 games. Nate Schierholtz (.912 OPS) and Anthony Rizzo (8 HR, 19 RBI) have been positives as the plate.

Travis Wood, Jeff Samardzija and Carlos Villanueva have a combined 2.52 ERA, and the bullpen has improved after their rough start to the season, but the struggles continue as a whole for the North Siders.

This Week's Opponents

vs. San Diego Padres (4)
vs. Cincinnati Reds (3) 

27. Cleveland Indians (9-13, Previous: 25)

Last Week's Results: 2-3

at Chicago White Sox (1-1)
at Kansas City Royals (1-2)

Team Notes

The Indians entered the season with some modest expectations after a busy offseason, but their improved offense has been undermined by the struggles of the pitching staff.

The team has used eight different starting pitchers through their first 22 games, and they've combined for a 5.53 ERA. That number skyrockets to 6.75 if you take away Justin Masterson (4-2, 3.12 ERA), who has been the team's only reliable starter.

Getting Jason Kipnis (.180 BA, .480 OPS) and Asdrubal Cabrera (.208 BA, .616 OPS) going would be a nice boost to the offense, but until the rotation turns things around, it doesn't much matter what the offense does. 

This Week's Opponents

at Kansas City Royals (1)
vs. Philadelphia Phillies (2) 
vs. Minnesota Twins (3) 

26. Toronto Blue Jays (9-17, Previous: 22)

Last Week's Results: 1-6

at Baltimore Orioles (1-2)
at New York Yankees (0-4) 

Team Notes

The Blue Jays continued their disappointing start to the season this past week, dropping a pair of series to division foes, and they are already 9.5 games behind the first-place Red Sox in the AL East.

No regular is hitting over .250, and the team ranks just 20th in runs scored with 95 through 26 games and has a .229 average as a team. Catcher J.P. Arencibia (.816 OPS, 8 HR) has been one of the few bright spots.

The new-look rotation has been terrible, and J.A. Happ (2-1, 3.86 ERA) is the only rotation member with passable numbers right now. Ace R.A. Dickey has been better after a rocky start, but he's still far from the level he was at last season.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Boston Red Sox (3)
vs. Seattle Mariners (3) 

25. San Diego Padres (9-15, Previous: 27)

Last Week's Results: 4-2

vs. Milwaukee Brewers (1-2)
at San Francisco Giants (3-0) 

Team Notes

The Padres snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over the Brewers on Wednesday, and they closed out the week with a sweep of the Giants in San Francisco.

Moving the fences in at Petco Park has done little for the offense so far, as they have just 15 home runs and 85 runs scored through their first 24 games. No one has more than two home runs, and Yonder Alonso (.769 OPS, 12 RBI) is the only player with double-digit RBI.

The starting rotation sports a 5.33 ERA—worst in the National League—that all but negates a top-10 bullpen. Andrew Cashner was solid in his second start of the year after opening the season as a reliever, going six innings and allowing just one run to pick up the win against the Giants on Friday.

This Week's Opponents

at Chicago Cubs (4)
vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (3)

24. Los Angeles Angels (9-15, Previous: 19)

Last Week's Results: 2-5

vs. Texas Rangers (1-2)
at Seattle Mariners (1-3) 

Team Notes

The Angels dropped a pair of series to division teams last week, including losing two of three to the rival Rangers at home, and they currently find themselves in the cellar in the AL West.

The star-studded lineup continues to get very little production from said stars, as Josh Hamilton (.219 BA, .590 OPS), Albert Pujols (.244 BA, .709 OPS) and Mike Trout (.263 BA, .755 OPS) have all been disappointing so far.

The pitching staff has slowly rounded into form after a horrendous start and will only get better once Jered Weaver returns from the DL. Once he's back, one has to imagine Joe Blanton (0-4, 7.09 ERA) will get the boot and Garrett Richards (1-1, 3.65 ERA) will retain his spot in the rotation.

This Week's Opponents

at Oakland Athletics (3)
vs. Baltimore Orioles (4)

23. Seattle Mariners (11-16, Previous: 26)

Last Week's Results: 4-3

at Houston Astros (1-2)
vs. Los Angeles Angels (3-1)

Team Notes

After dropping a series to the lowly Astros to start the week, the Mariners rebounded to take three of four from the scuffling Angels, as they moved ahead of them in the AL West standings.

They've shown good power at the plate, as their 27 home runs ranks sixth in the American League, but they are still having trouble consistently scoring runs with just 87 through 27 games. Michael Morse has seven home runs in the early going.

The one-two punch of Felix Hernandez (3-2, 1.90 ERA) and Hisashi Iwakuma (2-1, 1.67 ERA) continues to impress atop the rotation, and the back end of the bullpen has been great, but middle relief and the other three starter spots remain up in the air.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Baltimore Orioles (3)
at Toronto Blue Jays (3) 

22. New York Mets (10-13, Previous: 17)

Last Week's Results: 1-5

vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1-2)
vs. Philadelphia Phillies (0-3)

Team Notes

After starting the year 7-4, the Mets have crashed back to earth and gone 3-9 since, and their pitching has been the biggest reason for the slide.

Matt Harvey (4-0, 1.54 ERA) and Jon Niese (2-2, 3.31 ERA) continue to anchor the staff, and Dillon Gee has shown flashes of being a viable third option, but the rest of the rotation is a question mark. The real issue has been the bullpen and their 5.35 ERA.

They rank third in the National League with 115 runs scored, though they're hitting just .239 as a team. David Wright (.942 OPS, 19 RBI) and Lucas Duda (.960 OPS, 5 HR) are both off to great starts, while Ike Davis (.169 BA, .599 OPS) continues to struggle mightily.

This Week's Opponents

at Miami Marlins (3)
at Atlanta Braves (3) 

21. Chicago White Sox (10-14, Previous: 24)

Last Week's Results: 3-3

vs. Cleveland Indians (1-1)
vs. Tampa Bay Rays (2-2)

Team Notes

After making a run at the postseason last year, the White Sox entered the 2013 season with modest expectations in the AL Central, but so far, their offense has let them down.

They're currently hitting just .229 as a team with an AL-worst 83 runs scored through their first 24 games. Conor Gillaspie (.310 BA, .842 OPS) has been a pleasant surprise at third base, and Alex Rios (.888 OPS, 6 HR) has carried over his strong play from last season.

As a whole, their pitching staff has been good, with a 3.60 ERA as a group, though they'll be without Gavin Floyd for a while after he went on the DL with a strained elbow. Closer Addison Reed (8-for-8 SV, 1.64 ERA) continues to climb the ranks of the game's top closers in his second season.

This Week's Opponents

at Texas Rangers (3)
at Kansas City Royals (3) 

20. Minnesota Twins (11-10, Previous: 23)

Last Week's Results: 3-3

vs. Miami Marlins (1-1)
vs. Texas Rangers (2-2)

Team Notes

The Twins made a pair of trades this offseason to improve their starting rotation, but the newcomers have done little to shore up the staff and the offense has taken a hit as a result of the moves.

Vance Worley (0-3, 6.38 ERA) and Mike Pelfrey (2-2, 7.94 ERA) have not been the answer in the rotation, though Kevin Correia (3-1, 2.23 ERA) has proven to be one of the better value signings of the offseason at two years and $10 million.

With Ben Revere and Denard Span gone, Chris Parmelee (.217 BA, .583 OPS) and rookie Aaron Hicks (.118 BA, .370 OPS) have done very little offensively, and prospect Oswaldo Arcia (6-for-31) is off to a slow start as well after being called up on April 15.

This Week's Opponents

at Detroit Tigers (3)
at Cleveland Indians (3) 

19. Philadelphia Phillies (12-14, Previous: 21)

Last Week's Results: 4-3

vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (1-3)
at New York Mets (3-0)

Team Notes

The Phillies closed out their week with a sweep of the Mets in New York, as they look to separate themselves from the pack of teams hovering around .500.

Michael Young (.352 BA, .850 OPS) continues to prove he has plenty left in the tank, but the team has gotten very little from its outfielders in terms of offensive production. Domonic Brown (.241 BA), John Mayberry (.238 BA) and Ben Revere (.207 BA) could go a long way toward helping the offense if they pick things up.

Prospect Jonathan Pettibone (1-0, 4.35 ERA) has been solid in two starts since John Lannan (0-1, 6.14 ERA) went on the disabled list, and it will be interesting to see what the team opts to do once Lannan is healthy.

This Week's Opponents

at Cleveland Indians (2)
vs. Miami Marlins (4) 

18. Milwaukee Brewers (12-11, Previous: 15)

Last Week's Results: 3-3

at San Diego Padres (2-1)
at Los Angeles Dodgers (1-2)

Team Notes

A loss to San Diego on Wednesday snapped a nine-game winning streak for the Brewers, though five of those nine victories did come against the Padres and Cubs.

The offense continues to sorely miss Corey Hart and Aramis Ramirez in the middle of things, though guys like Jean Segura (.349 BA, .856 OPS) and Carlos Gomez (.338 BA, .914 OPS) have stepped up their production in their absence.

Hiram Burgos (1-0, 3.27 ERA) has helped shore up the back end of the rotation with two strong starts since being called up. The bullpen has steadily improved after some early-season struggles thanks in large part to Jim Henderson (6-for-6 SV, 0.82 ERA, 11.5 K/9) stepping up in the closer's role.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (3)
vs. St. Louis Cardinals (4) 

17. Tampa Bay Rays (12-13, Previous: 18)

Last Week's Results: 4-3

vs. New York Yankees (2-1)
at Chicago White Sox (2-2)

Team Notes

It's been a subpar start to the season for a Rays team that was supposed to have an improved offense alongside their usual plus pitching despite trading James Shields and Wade Davis in the offseason.

Youngsters Alex Cobb (3-1, 1.82 ERA) and Matt Moore (5-0, 1.13 ERA) continue to pitch great, but David Price (1-2, 5.21 ERA) has not been himself and Roberto Hernandez (1-4, 5.28 ERA) has not been the answer as the No. 5 starter.

Offensively, the team will benefit from getting Luke Scott back healthy sometime this week and continues to get solid production from newcomer James Loney (.349 BA, .922 OPS). The middle infield remains a major issue despite the additions of Kelly Johnson (.227 BA, .719 OPS) and Yunel Escobar (.164 BA, .516 OPS).

This Week's Opponents

at Kansas City Royals (3)
at Colorado Rockies (3) 

16. Los Angeles Dodgers (12-12, Previous: 20)

Last Week's Results: 4-2

at New York Mets (2-1)
vs. Milwaukee Brewers (2-1)

Team Notes

The Dodgers are playing slightly better baseball of late, as they are 5-2 in their last seven games, but they are still far from the level they were expected to be playing at.

Injuries have decimated their starting rotation, as the team has already used nine starters through 24 games. Ted Lilly (5 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 7 K) looked strong in his first start of the season on Wednesday, as he was a welcome addition coming off of the DL.

Offense has been an issue as well, with the team managing just 17 home runs and 80 runs overall through 24 games, the second-lowest total in the NL. Getting Matt Kemp (.261 BA, .669 OPS) going would be a good start.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Colorado Rockies (3)
at San Francisco Giants (3) 

15. San Francisco Giants (13-12, Previous: 5)

Last Week's Results: 1-5

vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (1-2)
at San Diego Padres (0-3)

Team Notes

The Giants looked every bit the part of reigning champs with a 9-4 start to the season, but they are just 4-8 since and losers of five straight entering play on Monday.

Getting consistent performances from their vaunted starting pitching has been the biggest issue so far, with Ryan Vogelsong (1-2, 6.23 ERA) and Matt Cain (0-2, 6.59 ERA) by far the biggest culprits. Madison Bumgarner (3-0, 1.87 ERA) has pitched like the ace of the staff, however.

Despite a continued lack of pop in the middle of the order, the offense has been just as good, if not better than expected. Shortstop Brandon Crawford (.907 OPS, 14 RBI) has been a pleasant surprise at the dish, though the right side of the infield of Marco Scutaro (.215 BA) and Brandon Belt (.231 BA) need to pick it up.

This Week's Opponents

at Arizona Diamondbacks (3)
vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (3) 

14. Kansas City Royals (13-9, Previous: 13)

Last Week's Results: 3-2

at Detroit Tigers (1-1)
vs. Cleveland Indians (2-1) 

Team Notes

The Royals dropping a spot in the rankings is more a result of teams passing them by than anything they've done, and they enter the week on top in the AL Central.

With a retooled starting rotation backed by one of baseball's best bullpens, they have the second-best team ERA in all of baseball at 3.10. Ervin Santana (3-1, 2.00 ERA), James Shields (1-2, 3.09 ERA) and Wade Davis (2-1, 3.20 ERA) have been welcome additions so far.

Offensively, they've been solid, but still have room to improve with Mike Moustakas (.169 BA, .488 OPS) stumbling out of the gates and second base essentially a black hole production-wise. A healthy Lorenzo Cain (.324 BA, .829 OPS) has been a major contributor for the firs time in his career.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Cleveland Indians (1)
vs. Tampa Bay Rays (3)
vs. Chicago White Sox (3) 

13. Oakland Athletics (14-12, Previous: 6)

Last Week's Results: 2-5

at Boston Red Sox (1-2)
vs. Baltimore Orioles (1-3) 

Team Notes

After a 9-2 start to the season, the A's have gone just 5-10 since, and getting a healthy Yoenis Cespedes back in the middle of their lineup should help, as he homered in his first game back on Sunday.

Despite being without Cespedes for the past two weeks, they remain the highest-scoring offense in all of baseball with 138 runs through 26 games. That is despite the struggles of a pair of key hitters in Josh Reddick (.153 BA, .514 OPS) and Chris Young (.157 BA, .629 OPS).

Pitching is the issue, and the team's top two starters in Brett Anderson (1-4, 7.23 ERA) and Jarrod Parker (0-4, 8.10 ERA) are as much to blame as anyone. The bullpen has been great with a 3.17 ERA, but save chances have been few and far between.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Los Angeles Angels (3)
at New York Yankees (3) 

12. Colorado Rockies (15-10, Previous: 3)

Last Week's Results: 2-5

vs. Atlanta Braves (1-2)
at Arizona Diamondbacks (1-3)

Team Notes

The Rockies cooled off last week after their blistering start, and as many expected, it was a result of their starting pitching performing a little closer to expectations.

Getting ace Jhoulys Chacin back healthy will help, and there is little doubt this year's rotation is infinitely better than last year's, but it is also hard to deny that they were pitching over their heads in the early going. 

That said, the offense is for real with an NL-high 127 runs scored so far, and it should be enough to keep them competitive all season. They are currently hitting .279 as a team with 32 home runs. A forearm injury landed Todd Helton on the DL as Eric Young Jr. slides into a starting role.

This Week's Opponents

at Los Angeles Dodgers (3)
vs. Tampa Bay Rays (3) 

11. Cincinnati Reds (14-12, Previous: 2)

Last Week's Results: 3-4

vs. Chicago Cubs (2-1)
at Washington Nationals (1-3)

Team Notes

After climbing back up the rankings with a 6-1 week two weeks ago, the Reds stumbled again as they dropped three of four in their weekend series with the Nationals.

Offensively, they rank as one of the highest scoring offenses in baseball with 123 runs in 26 games. Shin-Soo Choo (.344/.492/.559) and Joey Votto (.284/.444/.463) have been on-base machines so far, while Zack Cozart (.213 BA, .612 OPS) has struggled and left field remains an issue with Ryan Ludwick sidelined.

Top prospect Tony Cingrani (3 GS, 2-0, 1.50 ERA, 28 K, 12 H, 18 IP) has been phenomenal since being called up, and he has likely done enough to retain a rotation spot once Johnny Cueto comes off the DL. Mike Leake (4.34 ERA) will need to show something his next time out or he's likely the odd man out.

This Week's Opponents

at St. Louis Cardinals (3)
at Chicago Cubs (3) 

10. Washington Nationals (13-12, Previous: 8)

Last Week's Results: 3-4

vs. St. Louis Cardinals (0-3)
vs. Cincinnati Reds (3-1) 

Team Notes

Widely regarded as the best team in baseball entering the season, the Nationals have looked merely average in the early going, though there is plenty of room for improvement in a number of areas.

The pitching staff has been a strength once again, with a 3.63 ERA as a group, but Dan Haren (2-3, 6.29 ERA) is still a major question at the back of the rotation. Jordan Zimmermann (4-1, 2.00 ERA) and Ross Detwiler (1-2, 2.03 ERA) have led the staff so far.

Offensively, Adam LaRoche (.135 BA, .480 OPS) has to get going out of the cleanup spot and provide some protection for Bryce Harper (.360/.444/.756, 9 HR, 18 RBI), who has been fantastic. Top prospect Anthony Rendon (4-for-20, 1 RBI) has done little in replacing the injured Ryan Zimmerman at third base.

This Week's Opponents

at Atlanta Braves (4)
at Pittsburgh Pirates (3) 

9. New York Yankees (15-9, Previous: 14)

Last Week's Results: 5-2

at Tampa Bay Rays (1-2)
vs. Toronto Blue Jays (4-0)

Team Notes

Add Francisco Cervelli (fractured hand) and Ivan Nova (elbow inflammation) to the list of the Yankees' injuries, but the team continues to find ways to win with a patchwork roster and has had an impressive start to the season.

Travis Hafner (.305 BA, 1.117 OPS) and Vernon Wells (.294 BA, .911 OPS) have given the team a pair of reliable producers behind Robinson Cano (.316 BA, .986 OPS) as the offense ranks fifth in the AL with 112 runs scored.

Losing Nova is not all that big a blow, as he was 1-1 with a 6.48 ERA through his first four starts, and David Phelps will step into his spot for the time being. The ageless duo of Mariano Rivera (10 G, 9-for-9 SV, 1.80 ERA) and Andy Pettitte (3-1, 2.22 ERA) continues to amaze.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Houston Astros (3)
vs. Oakland Athletics (3) 

8. Arizona Diamondbacks (15-10, Previous: 16)

Last Week's Results: 5-2

at San Francisco Giants (2-1)
vs. Colorado Rockies (3-1)

Team Notes

The Diamondbacks have not excelled in any one facet of the game this season, but have instead been one of the most complete teams in baseball even after all of their offseason wheelings and dealings.

Paul Goldschmidt (.305 BA, .923 OPS) is an emerging star at first base, and getting slugger Jason Kubel back off the DL should give the offense a boost. Miguel Montero (.207 BA, .578 OPS) and Martin Prado (.208 BA, .582 OPS) need to get going though.

On the mound, the young duo of Pat Corbin (3-0, 1.91 ERA) and Wade Miley (2-0, 2.37 ERA) have led the way for the rotation, while newcomer Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 7.48 ERA) has struggled mightily. The bullpen has been great, with a 2.44 ERA, third-best in all of baseball.

This Week's Opponents

vs. San Francisco Giants (3)
at San Diego Padres (3) 

7. St. Louis Cardinals (14-10, Previous: 9)

Last Week's Results: 4-2

at Washington Nationals (3-0)
vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (1-2)

Team Notes

The Cardinals swept the Nationals in Washington to open the week, but dropped two of three to the now first-place Pirates over the weekend.

Starting pitching has been the driving force behind their success, as the rotation has an MLB-best 2.18 ERA and no starter has an ERA over 3.10. That is as impressive a stat as any in baseball right now for a team that lost Chris Carpenter and Kyle Lohse from last year's staff.

The offense has been good enough in support of the staff, and getting David Freese (.178 BA, .497 OPS) and Jon Jay (.226 BA, .635 OPS) on track will help things. Allen Craig has a team-high 18 RBI, but has yet to homer.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Cincinnati Reds (3)
at Milwaukee Brewers (4) 

6. Pittsburgh Pirates (15-10, Previous: 12)

Last Week's Results: 5-2

at Philadelphia Phillies (3-1)
at St. Louis Cardinals (2-1)

Team Notes

The Pirates are 14-5 since starting the year 1-5, and they have not lost back-to-back games since their early four-game losing streak.

A.J. Burnett (2-2, 2.83 ERA, 12.3 K/9) is pitching as well as he has at any point in his career atop the rotation, and Jeff Locke (3-1, 2.83 ERA) has been a pleasant surprise. They need to find a fifth starter to replace Jonathan Sanchez (0-3, 12.71 ERA) though, as he's terrible.

The offense has been solid despite Andrew McCutchen (.216 BA, .661 OPS) and Pedro Alvarez (.198 BA, .612 OPS) struggling. Youngster Starling Marte (.323 BA, .835 OPS, 7 SB) looks like a star in the making as a 24-year-old.

This Week's Opponents

at Milwaukee Brewers (3)
vs. Washington Nationals (3) 

5. Baltimore Orioles (15-10, Previous: 10)

Last Week's Results: 5-2

vs. Toronto Blue Jays (2-1)
at Oakland Athletics (3-1)

Team Notes

The Orioles have won each of their last four series and all but two series on the year, and they were impressive in taking three of four from the A's in Oakland to close out the week.

The offense is second in baseball with 129 runs scored, as Chris David (1.194 OPS, 9 HR, 28 RBI) and Adam Jones (.932 OPS, 4 HR, 20 RBI) may be the best one-two punch in baseball right now. Second base is an area that needs to be addressed.

They've needed all the offense they can get, as the starting rotation has been inconsistent once again. and the team continues to search for a No. 5 starter after demoting Jake Arrieta. The bullpen has been great again though with a 2.68 ERA and 11 saves.

This Week's Opponents

at Seattle Mariners (3)
at Los Angeles Angels (4) 

4. Atlanta Braves (15-9, Previous: 1)

Last Week's Results: 2-4

at Colorado Rockies (2-1)
at Detroit Tigers (0-3)

Team Notes

The Braves got the benefit of the doubt in last week's rankings, remaining in the top spot after a 2-4 week, but another disappointing week drops them down to No. 4 this week.

Justin Upton (1.171 OPS, 12 HR) continues his early season power surge, and third baseman Chris Johnson leads the National League with a .387 batting average. Struggling right fielder Jason Heyward (.121 BA) landed on the DL last week following an appendectomy.

Rookie right-hander Julio Teheran turned in his best start of the season on Tuesday, going seven innings and allowing just one run, and if he can shore up the No. 5 rotation spot, the Braves would be that much scarier. The bullpen continues to dominate, as its 2.18 ERA is by far the best in all of baseball.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Washington Nationals (4)
vs. New York Mets (3) 

3. Detroit Tigers (13-10, Previous: 11)

Last Week's Results: 4-1

vs. Kansas City Royals (1-1)
vs. Atlanta Braves (3-0) 

Team Notes

It's been an up-and-down season for the reigning AL champs so far, but they closed out last week with a sweep of the Braves, and they still have all the pieces to be a serious title contender.

Anibal Sanchez (3-1, 1.34 ERA) struck out 17 over eight shutout innings on Friday, and so far, he's been worth the hefty contract he got in the offseason. Jose Valverde is back on the team and back in the closer's role, and he's thrown three perfect innings with two saves so far.

The offense has been potent once again, led by Miguel Cabrera (.375 BA, .992 OPS) and newcomer Torii Hunter (.375 BA, .917 OPS). There are holes, however, as Andy Dirks (.167 BA, .468 OPS), Alex Avila (.169 BA, .490 OPS) and Victor Martinez (.207 BA, .536 OPS) have all struggled in starting roles.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Minnesota Twins (3)
at Houston Astros (4) 

2. Texas Rangers (16-9, Previous: 4)

Last Week's Results: 4-3

at Los Angeles Angels (2-1)
at Minnesota Twins (2-2)

Team Notes

After relying on their high-powered offense the past several seasons, the Rangers have leaned on their pitching staff this season and they are off to a great start.

They have a 3.02 ERA as a team, the best mark in all of baseball, and they've done that while dealing with injuries to their starting rotation. Nicholas Tepesch (2-1, 2.53 ERA) and Justin Grimm (2-0, 1.59 ERA) have been fantastic replacements, and Yu Darvish (4-1, 1.65 ERA, 13.5 K/9) is a legitimate ace.

Their offense has not been quite as potent as in seasons' past, but Lance Berkman (.319 BA, .933 OPS) has been a great addition and they have gotten contributions from up and down the lineup. David Murphy (.176 BA, .524 OPS) has been a hole in left field, as he may be better suited in the fourth outfield role he filled in the past.

This Week's Opponents

vs. Chicago White Sox (3)
vs. Boston Red Sox (3)

1. Boston Red Sox (18-7, Previous: 7)

Last Week's Results: 6-1

vs. Oakland Athletics (2-1)
vs. Houston Astros (4-0)

Team Notes

After a 5-4 start to the season, the Red Sox rattled off a seven-game winning streak, and they enter the week on another impressive run, having won five in a row.

The offense has been great and has only gotten better with the return of David Ortiz (16-for-31, 11 RBI), who has put up ridiculous numbers in just eight games. Shortstop Stephen Drew (.146 BA, .518 OPS) is really the only hole in the lineup.

On the pitching side of things, John Lackey is back healthy to join Clay Buchholz (5-0, 1.19 ERA) and Jon Lester (4-0, 2.27 ERA) atop the staff. The back of the rotation is a question mark and the bullpen has been inconsistent, but all in all, there's a lot to like about the 2013 Red Sox thus far.

This Week's Opponents

at Toronto Blue Jays (3)
at Texas Rangers (3)