MLB Power Rankings: Where All 30 MLB Teams Stand at the 1-Quarter Mark
It's hard to believe, but we have already reached the first-quarter mark of the 2015 MLB season.
While a few teams have begun to separate themselves from the pack, and we have a big enough sample size to start to get an idea of who is capable of contending, there is still a ton of baseball to be played.
Parity reigns around the league these days, and as a result our power rankings continue to undergo a good deal of shuffling on a week-to-week basis.
When putting together these rankings, we considered the following factors:
- Last week's record
- Quality of opponent
- Key injuries/trades
- Recent performance beyond the last week
The goal is to be as objective as possible, but a certain amount of subjectivity will always come into play with something like this.
Just remember: This is a fluid process. Teams will rise and fall on a weekly basis relative to where they ranked previously. You keep winning, you keep climbing—it's as simple as that.
30. Colorado Rockies (13-21, Previous: 30)
1 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
After losing a quick two-game series to the Los Angeles Angels, the Colorado Rockies actually finished the week relatively strong as they split a four-game set with the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, the big story of the week was face of the franchise Troy Tulowitzki meeting with his agent to discuss the idea of requesting a trade.
At this point, he's decided not to push for a move, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com, but one can't help but wonder how much longer that will last.
"I don't think it's fair to my teammates and the relationships I've built here to take that route," Tulowitzki said, according to Harding.
Hitter of the Week
- Carlos Gonzalez (5-for-25, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jorge De La Rosa (W, 7.1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K)
29. Milwaukee Brewers (13-25, Previous: 27)
2 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
Another week and two more lost series for the Milwaukee Brewers, who appeared to receive a shot in the arm when they hired new manager Craig Counsell. But they are now back to struggling in the NL Central cellar.
Bright spots have been few and far between, but the duo of Gerardo Parra (.311 BA, 13 R) and Adam Lind (.919 OPS, 6 HR, 18 RBI) are both off to solid starts and should have some decent value if and when the team decides to start dealing.
Shortstop Jean Segura landed on the disabled list last week with a fractured pinkie, with the team calling up 22-year-old Luis Sardinas to take his place in the lineup. Sardinas was one of the key pieces acquired from the Texas Rangers for Yovani Gallardo during the offseason.
Hitter of the Week
- CF Gerardo Parra (7-for-15, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Kyle Lohse (W, 8.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K)
28. Oakland Athletics (13-26, Previous: 25)
3 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
The struggles continued last week for a reeling Oakland Athletics team. A weekend sweep at the hands of the Chicago White Sox made it four straight series losses, and the team is now 1-10 in its last 11 games.
That's despite the fact that the A's currently rank third in the AL and sixth in the league with a 3.56 ERA from their starting pitching. Sonny Gray (8 GS, 4-1, 1.61 ERA) has certainly helped lower that number, as he continues his emergence as one of the best arms in the game.
With Ike Davis landing on the disabled list with a strained quad, Mark Canha and Max Muncy figure to split time at the first base for now. The team also recalled Craig Gentry from the minors.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Josh Reddick (9-for-24, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Sonny Gray (L, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K)
27. Arizona Diamondbacks (15-21, Previous: 22)
4 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
Swept by the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend, the Arizona Diamondbacks are now 2-7 in their last nine games, but they still have a plus-four run differential on the season.
The team finally yanked Addison Reed (0-2, 2-of-4 SV, 6.00 ERA) from the closer's role last week, and it's turned to a closer-by-committee for the time being. Expect Brad Ziegler (16 G, 1.17 ERA) to get the first crack at the job.
Arizona activated rookie starter Archie Bradley from the disabled list over the weekend, and he allowed five hits and four runs in two innings in his first start since being hit in the head with a line drive. The 22-year-old was 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his first four starts prior to the injury.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Chris Owings (13-for-26, 2 2B, 1 3B, 0 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chase Anderson (ND, 5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K)
26. Philadelphia Phillies (16-23, Previous: 29)
5 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
A four-game split with the Pittsburgh Pirates and a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks adds up to the best week of the season for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Veteran starter Aaron Harang continues to be one of the best bargain grabs of the offseason, as he's gone 4-3 with a 2.03 ERA in eight starts. Philly signed him to a one-year, $5 million deal, and he should have some decent trade value if he can keep it up.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Chase Utley, who currently ranks dead last among 177 qualified hitters with a .138 batting average in 116 at-bats. He has full no-trade rights, but it's hard to imagine anyone being interested at this point, regardless.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Ryan Howard (8-for-24, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Aaron Harang (W, 8.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K)
25. Texas Rangers (16-22, Previous: 26)
6 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
It was a subpar week for the Texas Rangers from a win-loss standpoint, but there were plenty of positive takeaways as far as individual results are concerned.
Prince Fielder (11-for-28, 3 HR, 9 RBI) and Shin-Soo Choo (13-for-31, 3 HR, 5 RBI) both had huge weeks at the plate, while Adrian Beltre joined the 400-home run club Friday as he continues to build a compelling Hall of Fame case.
Meanwhile, the one-two punch of Nick Martinez (8 GS, 3-0, 1.88 ERA) and Colby Lewis (8 GS, 3-2, 3.06 ERA) continues to be surprisingly effective in leading an injury-plagued starting rotation.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Shin-Soo Choo (13-for-31, 1 3B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Yovani Gallardo (W, 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K)
24. Cleveland Indians (14-22, Previous: 28)
7 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Cleveland Indians are still looking to snap out of this early-season funk that has them in last place in the AL Central, but a breakout performance from ace Corey Kluber could be a big step in the right direction.
The reigning AL Cy Young winner was 0-5 with a 5.04 ERA through his first seven starts before absolutely dominating the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. He allowed just one hit in eight shutout innings, walking none and striking out 18 before being lifted with a pitch count of 113.
Kluber's dominance effectively overshadowed another huge week from second baseman Jason Kipnis, who is now hitting .340/.400/.510 on the year as he has returned to All-Star form after a disappointing 2014 season.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Jason Kipnis (14-for-24, 4 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 8 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Corey Kluber (W, 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 18 K)
23. Cincinnati Reds (18-20, Previous: 20)
8 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The Cincinnati Reds kicked off last week by taking two of three from the Atlanta Braves, but they struggled over the weekend on their way to losing three of four to the San Francisco Giants.
Manager Bryan Price finally pulled the trigger on removing Billy Hamilton from the leadoff spot, as the speedster is hitting just .214/.263/.336 on the year. He'll bat eighth for the time being, with the surprisingly productive Zack Cozart (.300/.358/.525) moving into the leadoff spot.
"Putting me down there, I can just go there and hit and not worry about being the leadoff man. It's tough batting leadoff," Hamilton told C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "It doesn't bother me. I'm just happy to be in the lineup. I will come in and get the same work in, do the same thing I've been doing and try to get better and be a better player."
With two off-days this coming week, the team will continue to use both Michael Lorenzen and Raisel Iglesias out of the bullpen for the time being. After that, it could be veteran Jason Marquis who gets the boot in favor of both young starters rejoining the rotation.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Todd Frazier (7-for-24, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP/RP Raisel Iglesias (W, 10.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K)
22. Toronto Blue Jays (17-22, Previous: 14)
9 of 30
Last Week: 1-6
It was another rough week for the Toronto Blue Jays, particularly on the pitching side of things, as their starters managed just two quality starts in seven games and the rotation now has an MLB-worst 5.27 ERA on the year.
A strong outing from Drew Hutchison was a positive sign, but the team needs him to find some consistency, as he has the stuff to be a legitimate front-line arm. Marco Estrada has been solid since moving to the rotation, and Mark Buehrle is a gamer, but Aaron Sanchez and R.A. Dickey have both been terrible for the most part.
Offensively, a four-home run week from Edwin Encarnacion was nice to see, although those were the only four hits he managed in 22 plate appearances. He's still looking to hit his stride along with Jose Bautista, as newcomers Josh Donaldson and Russell Martin have done much of the heavy lifting at the plate.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Josh Donaldson (6-for-24, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Drew Hutchison (ND, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K)
21. Miami Marlins (16-22, Previous: 13)
10 of 30
Last Week: 1-5
The Miami Marlins appeared to be righting the ship with a 9-1 stretch a few weeks ago that pulled them to 12-12 on the year, but they have gone just 4-10 in their last 14 games. That was enough for manager Mike Redmond to get the ax Sunday.
Replacing him will be general manager Dan Jennings, per ESPN.com, in one of the stranger managerial hires we've seen in recent years.
Jennings has been the team's GM since 2013 and has been with the organization since 2002. But he has zero coaching experience save some time as a high school coach way back when, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
As for the on-field product, slugger Giancarlo Stanton provided the week's highlights. He connected on four home runs totaling 1,808 feet, including one hit clean out of Dodger Stadium. Only five times has that been done in a game, as Stanton joins Mark McGwire, Mike Piazza and Willie Stargell (he did it twice) in accomplishing the feat.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Giancarlo Stanton (6-for-23, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP/RP Tom Koehler (ND, 9.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 9 K)
20. Seattle Mariners (17-20, Previous: 19)
11 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The Seattle Mariners checked in with a pair of series splits last week, bringing their record to 6-3 during a recent nine-game homestand. Now they hit the road for nine games against AL East opponents, starting with the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.
Two players who had been struggling this season had huge weeks in Brad Miller and James Paxton, and that could be big for the team moving forward.
Miller had been slumping badly at the plate and was hitting .225/.286/.348 on the year before going 9-for-21 with three doubles and four home runs last week.
Meanwhile, Paxton began the year at 0-2 with a 6.86 ERA in his first four starts, but he's now rattled off three consecutive quality starts, and he didn't allow a run in 14 innings of work last week.
Hitter of the Week
- DH Brad Miller (9-for-21, 3 2B, 4 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP James Paxton (2 W, 14.0 IP, 8 H, 0 ER, 7 BB, 7 K)
19. Boston Red Sox (18-20, Previous: 21)
12 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
With a series win over the Oakland Athletics and a four-game split with the Seattle Mariners, the Boston Red Sox wrapped up their 10-game road trip at 5-5, and despite being under .500, they currently sit just 3.5 games back in the AL East standings.
The starting rotation had probably its best week of the year as a unit, despite the fact that Justin Masterson landed on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis. Their 5.21 starter's ERA is still 28th in the league, but they are starting to show signs of rounding into form.
On the minor league front, highly touted Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada is set to make his pro debut for Single-A Greenville on Monday, according to the team's website. The 19-year-old signed for a record $31.5 million bonus back in February.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Shane Victorino (6-for-17, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Clay Buchholz (ND, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K)
18. Baltimore Orioles (16-19, Previous: 18)
13 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
A 1-5 record two weeks ago sent the Baltimore Orioles tumbling down these rankings, but they managed to avoid dropping any further with a 3-3 week that included a series win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Prospect Mike Wright made his big league debut Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels and was brilliant, allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out six in 7.1 scoreless innings to pick up the win.
"That is everything you dream of. Really fun. I was a little nervous that first inning, but tried to enjoy it," Wright told Steve Melewski of MASN Sports.
The 25-year-old was starting in place of Bud Norris (6 GS, 1-4, 9.88 ERA), and one has to think there's a good chance Norris has lost his rotation spot, at least for the time being. Wright entered the season as the team's No. 8 prospect, according to Baseball America.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Manny Machado (7-for-24, 3 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Wright (W, 7.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K)
17. Atlanta Braves (18-19, Previous: 23)
14 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The Atlanta Braves have been up and down in these ranking as much as any team in baseball this season, and after sweeping the Miami Marlins over the weekend, they're back on the rise.
Shelby Miller was the star of the week, taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning Sunday before giving up a hit to Justin Bour with two outs in the ninth. He finished things off for a two-hit shutout from there, continuing what has been a brilliant start to the season.
Through eight starts, the 24-year-old is now 5-1 and currently leads the National League in ERA (1.33), WHIP (0.833) and opponent batting average (.156).
The team will give 23-year-old Williams Perez a start on Wednesday, while Eric Stults heads to the bullpen, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The Venezuelan native was the team's No. 19 prospect heading into the year, according to the Baseball America Prospect Handbook.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Jace Peterson (7-for-24, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Shelby Miller (W, ND, 16.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 12 K)
16. Chicago White Sox (17-17, Previous: 24)
15 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
The Chicago White Sox took advantage of their schedule last week, as they faced off against a pair of struggling teams in the Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland Athletics. That should help them build some momentum heading into a seven-game homestand.
Ace Chris Sale entered the week with a 5.93 ERA but turned in his best start of the season Tuesday, striking out 11 and allowing just three hits and two runs in eight innings of work against the Brewers. The team obviously needs him to pitch like he's capable of if it's going to be a serious threat in the AL Central.
Chicago opted to make a change at second base last week, optioning Micah Johnson (.270 BA, .631 OPS) in favor of Carlos Sanchez (.344 BA, .833 OPS in Triple-A). The team pointed to defense as a reason for the move, according to Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Avisail Garcia (11-for-26, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Sale (W, 8.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 11 K)
15. San Diego Padres (19-20, Previous: 11)
16 of 30
Last Week: 2-4
Since opening the season 10-5, the San Diego Padres have won consecutive games just three times, and they have not won a series against a team other than the Colorado Rockies since they took two of three from the Chicago Cubs in mid-April.
The trio of James Shields, Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner has been solid, but the other two spots in the rotation have been a weakness since Brandon Morrow went down with shoulder inflammation in early May.
Ian Kennedy has struggled to a 6.75 ERA in six starts, while Odrisamer Despaigne has allowed 20 hits and 15 earned runs in eight innings of work over his last two outings
The team is relatively thin on starting pitching options behind its current five, as Robbie Erlin (7 GS, 5.15 ERA in Triple-A) would probably be next in line.
Hitter of the Week
- LF Justin Upton (6-for-21, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP James Shields (W, 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 K)
14. Pittsburgh Pirates (18-20, Previous: 9)
17 of 30
Last Week: 3-4
The Pittsburgh Pirates remain below .500 on the season after losing two of three to the Chicago Cubs over the weekend, and finding consistent offensive production to back their terrific starting pitching remains the big issue.
Their 3.16 starter's ERA is currently tied with the New York Mets for the best in baseball, but they have managed just 3.84 runs per game.
Much of that has had to do with the early-season struggles of Josh Harrison and Andrew McCutchen, so it was certainly promising to see Harrison have a big week at the plate. He was 12-for-25 with three doubles and two home runs.
With two more strong starts, A.J. Burnett now ranks second in the NL with a 1.38 ERA over his first eight starts.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Josh Harrison (12-for-25, 3 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP A.J. Burnett (2 W, 14.0 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 BB, 12 K)
13. New York Yankees (22-17, Previous: 4)
18 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
After climbing to their highest point at No. 4 in the rankings last week, the New York Yankees fall out of the top 10 after series losses to the Tampa Bay Rays and Kansas City Royals.
Beyond just wins and losses, they were also dealt a blow when Chase Whitley was diagnosed with a partially torn UCL that could require Tommy John surgery, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Whitley had been terrific filling in for Masahiro Tanaka.
Meanwhile, Chris Capuano returned from the disabled list to fill that spot in the rotation, lasting just three innings and allowing four hits and four earned runs vs. the Royals on Sunday.
Quick check-in on the combined line of relievers Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances:
- 36 G, 38.2 IP, 11 H, 0 ER, 17 BB, 61 K
Hitter of the Week
- DH Alex Rodriguez (8-for-28, 2 2B, 3 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP CC Sabathia (2 W, 14.0 IP, 12 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 14 K)
12. Tampa Bay Rays (21-18, Previous: 17)
19 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The Tampa Bay Rays continue to exceed expectations, and after taking three of four from the New York Yankees last week to climb within one game of the AL East leaders, they are challenging for a spot in the top 10.
The team activated Nick Franklin from the disabled list Saturday, as a strained oblique had sidelined him since the end of spring training. That injury opened the door for Logan Forsythe at second base, and he's taken advantage of the opportunity by hitting .300/.370/.492 on the year, giving the team more overall depth.
After a quick two-game series with the Atlanta Braves, the Rays head home for a four-game tilt against a struggling Oakland Athletics team. That should give them a terrific opportunity to move into first place in the division and to climb even higher in these rankings.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Logan Forsythe (9-for-25, 3 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Chris Archer (W, ND, 13.0 IP, 11 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 12 K)
11. Minnesota Twins (21-17, Previous: 15)
20 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
Despite losing a series to the Detroit Tigers to begin last week, the Minnesota Twins still climb a few spots as a result of teams ahead of them falling and a solid weekend series win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
The team continues to walk a tightrope with a plus-two run differential on the season, and improved starting pitching has really made all the difference, as they rank 20th in the league with a 4.29 ERA after ranking dead last the previous two seasons.
The one-two punch of Blaine Boyer (18 G, 6 HLD, 2.37 ERA) and Glen Perkins (18 G, 13-of-13 SV, 1.56 ERA) at the back of the bullpen has been a real strength and deserves more attention than it's received.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Brian Dozier (8-for-21, 1 3B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Phil Hughes (W, 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K)
10. Los Angeles Angels (19-18, Previous: 16)
21 of 30
Last Week: 4-1
The Los Angeles Angels climb back into the top 10 after a dominant week from their pitching staff, as they completely shut down a pair of good offensive teams in the Colorado Rockies and Baltimore Orioles.
All told, the team allowed eight runs in its five games, and the starting rotation combined for a 1.75 ERA and 0.694 WHIP in 36 innings of work.
That included a strong start from Matt Shoemaker (7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER), who entered the week with a 6.61 ERA and had been the clear weak link of an otherwise solid rotation.
Offensively, the team continues to struggle finding production out of the cleanup spot, as the team's 4-hole hitters have batted .185/.263/.311 with four home runs and 19 RBI on the year. David Freese, Matt Joyce, Kole Calhoun and now Erick Aybar have all seen time as the cleanup hitter.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Erick Aybar (10-for-19, 3 2B, 1 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Matt Shoemaker (W, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K)
9. New York Mets (22-16, Previous: 5)
22 of 30
Last Week: 2-5
The New York Mets rebounded from a four-game sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs to take two of three from the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend, but that was still enough to drop them out of the top five and put them on the fringe of the top 10.
Noah Syndergaard made his big league debut Tuesday, and he picked up his first career win Sunday, when he allowed three hits and one run in six innings of work against the Brewers. Dillon Gee will be back at some point, but there's a good chance Thor is here to stay.
With Dilson Herrera joining David Wright on the disabled list with a fractured finger, some combination of Daniel Murphy, Eric Campbell and Ruben Tejada will man second and third base for the time being.
Wright is scheduled to resume baseball activities Monday as he rehabs a strained hamstring, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN.com. He's played in just eight games so far this season.
Hitter of the Week
- SS Wilmer Flores (7-for-24, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Matt Harvey (ND, 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K)
8. San Francisco Giants (20-18, Previous: 10)
23 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
The San Francisco Giants are now 11-5 in the month of May, after posting a 9-13 record and a minus-28 run differential in April.
Hunter Pence returned to the lineup Saturday after missing the first 36 games of the season with a fractured forearm. He's already off to a nice start at 4-for-8 with a double and a home run in his first two games, and he should provide the offense with a much-needed spark.
"It's just nice to have him back and have his energy in the dugout and on the field," shortstop Brandon Crawford told reporters, via ESPN news services.
A solid week from third baseman Casey McGehee (5-for-15, 2 RBI) was also a positive sign, as the veteran entered the week hitting .179/.225/.286, leading many to call for Matt Duffy to take over as the primary option at the hot corner.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Brandon Belt (10-for-27, 2 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 9 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Madison Bumgarner (W, 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K)
7. Chicago Cubs (21-16, Previous: 12)
24 of 30
Last Week: 6-1
There was plenty of hype heading into the Chicago Cubs' four-game series with the New York Mets, as it was a matchup of what most consider to be two franchises on the rise thanks to their wealth of young talent.
Granted, four games in May don't mean much in the grand scheme of things, but the Cubs left little doubt as to which is the better team right now with a four-game sweep.
They followed that by taking two of three from the Pittsburgh Pirates, and they enter the week trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by just four games.
Kris Bryant finally found his power stroke this past week, while Anthony Rizzo continued his phenomenal start to the season and is now hitting .344/.470/.603 with eight home runs and 23 RBI.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Kris Bryant (10-for-22, 1 3B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Jake Arrieta (W, L, 15.0 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 17 K)
6. Washington Nationals (22-17, Previous: 7)
25 of 30
Last Week: 5-2
The Washington Nationals fell to as low as No. 21 in these rankings after a 7-13 start, but they have gone 15-4 in their last 19 games and have now won six straight series.
With another big week at the plate that included coming a double shy of the cycle Sunday, Bryce Harper now leads baseball in OPS (1.206), RBI (37) and runs scored (36) and leads the National League with 14 home runs.
Stephen Strasburg continues to struggle, and Doug Fister landed on the disabled list Friday with a forearm strain, so the rotation is far from dominant at the moment. The team recalled A.J. Cole to replace Fister on the roster, but Washington won't need a fifth start this coming week with two off-days.
Hitter of the Week
- RF Bryce Harper (12-for-23, 2 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 10 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Max Scherzer (2 W, 14.0 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 17 K)
5. Houston Astros (25-13, Previous: 6)
26 of 30
Last Week: 5-1
With a four-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend, the Houston Astros now have the best record in the American League.
Despite hitting an AL-low .229 as a team and striking out an AL-high 348 times, the Astros have still managed to put up 4.45 runs per game, thanks in part to leading baseball with 57 home runs.
Brett Oberholtzer returned from the disabled list last week but landed right back on it with a blister, so prospect Lance McCullers will be the latest pitcher to get a crack at locking down the No. 5 spot in the rotation Monday.
The 21-year-old was 3-1 with a 0.62 ERA, 0.897 WHIP and 43 strikeouts in 29 innings for Double-A Corpus Christi, with this season marking his first action above the High-A level.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Luis Valbuena (5-for-22, 1 2B, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Scott Feldman (W, 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 10 K)
4. Kansas City Royals (24-14, Previous: 3)
27 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
The Kansas City Royals enter the week leading the American League with a plus-55 run differential, but after splitting a four-game series with the Texas Rangers, they drop a spot in the rankings.
A lot of you won't like seeing the Royals ranked behind a Detroit Tigers team they took two of three from two weeks ago, but these rankings are about recent results more than anything, and the Tigers have earned their place.
It will be interesting to see if 34-year-old Joe Blanton can be of use to this team. He had a 3.89 ERA and 1.119 WHIP in 39.1 innings of work in Triple-A, and he allowed one run in four innings in his Royals debut Saturday.
This team is thin on starting pitching depth, and even more so after losing Brian Flynn (left lat tear), so Blanton could fill a valuable role alongside Chris Young moving forward.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Eric Hosmer (9-for-26, 1 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 6 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Edinson Volquez (W, ND, 12.0 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 8 K)
3. Los Angeles Dodgers (24-13, Previous: 2)
28 of 30
Last Week: 4-3
Despite a disabled list that includes the likes of Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Brandon McCarthy and a few others, the Los Angeles Dodgers just keep winning games.
Their plus-58 differential is currently tops in baseball, and they have not lost a series since the San Francisco Giants swept them back on April 21-23.
Mike Bolsinger (3 GS, 2-0, 1.04 ERA) and Carlos Frias (3 GS, 2-0, 2.89 ERA) have been huge in shoring up a rotation that had already trotted out the likes of Scott Baker, David Huff and Joe Wieland.
Closer Kenley Jansen finally returned last week, picking up a hold in his season debut Friday and earning the save Sunday.
Hitter of the Week
- 2B Howie Kendrick (11-for-29, 2 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Mike Bolsinger (2 W, 11.2 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 9 K)
2. St. Louis Cardinals (25-12, Previous: 1)
29 of 30
Last Week: 3-3
The St. Louis Cardinals managed to avoid a sweep with a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday night, but that series loss was enough to bump them from the top spot in these rankings.
The No. 5 spot in the rotation was an issue once again last week, as Tyler Lyons lasted just 3.2 innings in his latest start. But that could soon be solved by the return of Jaime Garcia.
After a pair of minor league rehab starts, the 28-year-old is set to make his season debut Thursday against the New York Mets, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN).
Garcia has made just 16 appearances spanning 99 innings the past two seasons while dealing with shoulder issues. The team is hoping he can be the answer to replacing Adam Wainwright (ruptured Achilles) in the rotation, and that he can earn some of his $9.25 million salary.
Hitter of the Week
- 3B Matt Carpenter (8-for-26, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 5 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Lance Lynn (2 W, 13.1 IP, 10 H, 1 ER, 6 BB, 16 K)
1. Detroit Tigers (23-15, Previous: 8)
30 of 30
Last Week: 4-2
After taking two of three from a good Minnesota Twins team, the Detroit Tigers staked their claim to the top spot in these rankings with a series win over last week's No. 1 club, the St. Louis Cardinals.
Miguel Cabrera, in his age-32 season, joined the 400 home run club on Saturday when he took Tyler Lyons deep in the first inning. That continued a terrific start to the season for the two-time MVP, as he's hitting .333/.436/.601 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI.
A strong start from Anibal Sanchez may have been the biggest positive of the week, as he allowed five hits and one run in eight innings while striking out nine. The team desperately needs him to pitch like No. 2 starter behind David Price, and that was by far his best start of the year.
The Tigers will take on the Milwaukee Brewers and Houston Astros at home this coming week as they look to do what several others before them could not and hold on to the No. 1 spot for more than a week.
Hitter of the Week
- 1B Miguel Cabrera (9-for-24, 1 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R)
Pitcher of the Week
- SP Anibal Sanchez (W, 8.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K)
All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Pitcher and hitter of the week stats reflect games from Monday, May 11, through Sunday, May 17.
